A/n: OMG! Not a long chapter, but there's a few surprises and goodies in here for you! XD

One Step At A Time

Feeling too much, skin too tight, hair now cut so that it fell over his forehead and just barely over his ears like the Izuku in the picture, he'd turned away from the mirror.

"Thank you," he said roughly, practically feeling Hitoshi's anxiety. "Looks good."

That was the most he could give right then, and he hurried out of the bathroom. He found Kacchan waiting for him, Shouto standing nearby, but all of Izuku's attention was on the blond. The piercings in his face were familiar now, and those red eyes were home. Izuku felt his heartbeat calm as soon as they locked eyes.

"Wanna spar?" he heard himself ask, and suddenly Izuku was desperate to do just that. He needed something to make him feel normal or he was going to start screaming and never stop.

Kacchan saw right through him. Saw how much he needed this. He simply nodded and marched out of the room. Shouto, Hitoshi, and Izuku followed him down the stairs of what looked like an old fashioned inn. They went through a lobby and down a hallway and into a dojo-type room. A few men were using the room, sparring with wooden swords, but they came to a stop when they walked in.

"Get the fuck out," Kacchan snarled, his glare murderous.

The men practically ran. They didn't even bother to put away the swords. Simply dropped them where they stood and took off.

Stripping out of his hoodie, Kacchan walked to the center of the room and lifted his hands. "You ready to get beat, Deku?" he purred, mouth crooked into a grin.

Izuku felt his heart thrum with the challenge. He blurred forward, spinning, and sent his heel slamming down on Kacchan's head. The blond leaned back gracefully, avoiding the blow, and grabbed Izuku's ankle, pulling him off balance and sending him to the floor. Izuku caught himself on his hands and pushed up, kicking his legs, forcing Kacchan to jump back. Then they were on each other, punching - blocking - kicking - spinning.

There were no other thoughts. Just muscle-memory and instinct. They'd done this a thousand times before and yet there was no room to be complacent. Kacchan would knock his head off if he didn't pay attention. They moved with dizzying speed. Their breath came hard yet steady, controlled. Izuku went for the most vulnerable places as he'd been taught - sensory organs and joints - but Kacchan was insanely fast. His reaction times were killer, and he somehow always managed to turn a block into an attack.

Somewhere along the line, Izuku tapped into his quirk. He grew faster, stronger, but Kacchan met him head-on. He used little explosions to speed his movements and strikes. Smoke that smelled faintly like burnt caramel stung Izuku's nose, making his mouth water, and Izuku realized he was grinning. So was Kacchan.

A punch to the chest had Kacchan falling back. He dropped to a backward roll before springing up, shifting that momentum forward again. He streaked forward on twin blasts, and Izuku went down hard, Kacchan on top of him.

Suddenly, seeing Kacchan above him - grinning, sweaty, alive - sent an overwhelming surge of through Izuku's core. Izuku snaked his arms around his love and pulled him down, crashing their mouths together. He opened his legs so the blond fell between them, his thighs holding Kacchan in place as he kissed and sucked and teased the two metal balls that pierced the blond's tongue with his own. The spiked piercings under Kacchan's bottom lip scratched and bit at Izuku's mouth, and the sensation sent a shiver down Izuku's spine. Izuku moaned, rocking his hips helplessly up against his love's. They were both rock hard under their sweats.

Kacchan's fingers fisted in Izuku's hair. Izuku moaned again, dragging his hands down the muscled planes of the blond's chest. He gripped the blond's pecs, squeezing the hard yet supple flesh of his breasts, and suddenly Izuku couldn't get enough. He was panting loud and fast, pupils blown.

"Please…" he gasped, tearing his mouth way from the blond's. "Please… Fuck me… Fuck me!" he practically screamed, mad with lust and desperation. He threw his arms around Kacchan's shoulders, pulling him flush against his body.

Kacchan growled furiously in his ear. Izuku gave a cry of exhilaration as Kacchan suddenly grabbed his thigh and hiked Izuku's hip up so that he could thrust down against him at a better angle. Izuku tossed his head back, fingers digging into the hard muscles of Kacchan's shoulders as the blond bit down where Izuku's shoulder met his neck.

"Katsuki!" he cried, blind with need, rocking up hard into each one of Kacchan's thrusts.

With a show of impressive strength, Kacchan sat up and hiked Izuku into his lap. Roughly he tore the hoodie off Izuku before gripping Izuku's ass and pulling him tight against him. He rolled his hips in a sensual, undulating wave, bouncing Izuku with the motion. Izuku clung to him, grip bruising where he held on to sweat-slick skin.

Chest to chest, they rode the movement of Kacchan's hips. Izuku tossed his head back, hands sinking into Kacchan's hair, encouraging him to bite and suck along as much skin as he could reach. Kacchan's red eyes burned up at him, his grin sharp as he did just that.

Suddenly, Kacchan's mouth latched onto Izuku's throat. A growl vibrated straight through his chest and into Izuku's, and he pressed the steel balls in his tongue hard into Izuku's pulse-point. Izuku moaned long and low as he came hard, his whole body lighting up with a sizzling pleasure. Falling limp, he folding around Kacchan, molding to his body.

Kacchan practically whimpered with need as he continued to rub hard and desperate against him. His hands clamped down hard on Izuku's ass, thrusting up desperately against Izuku's stomach. His breath was hot and panting in Izuku's ear, making Izuku shiver.

Languid, pleasure still sparking along every nerve, Izuku licked over the piercings in the blond's flushed ear. He bit at the metal, pulling softly as his tongue traced each bar and stud. When Kacchan gasped, Izuku grinned and lazily rolled his hips as Kacchan thrust up in short, fast jerks. He was painfully close, and that knowledge gave Izuku a heady rush of power.

"Let me see it, Kacchan," Izuku purred, fisting the blond's damp hair and staring down into lust blown red eyes. The blond was shaking under him, and Izuku shivered at the look of absolute devotion and need painted across Kacchan's face. "Cum for me, Katsuki. Show me you're mine."

Kacchan's eyes clenched shut as he gave a choked cry. His hands warmed with the beginning of explosions along the curve of Izuku's ass, and Izuku grounded down, making Kacchan shake and shiver, drinking in the blond's expression of ecstasy. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Then, with a sigh of bliss, Kacchan's eyes fluttered open again. He collapsed, falling flat on his back. Izuku giggled as he sprawled over the blond's heaving chest. Kacchan's face had gone completely soft. His red eyes heavy-lidded and calm, his lips pink and swollen, slightly parted, his brows completely relaxed.

"Beautiful," Izuku whispered, tracing over Kacchan's damp forehead, over his nose, and stroking those soft lips. "So pretty."

Kacchan smiled and closed his eyes. "Shut up, Zuku," he rasped, voice wrecked. His still warm hand came up to gently card through Izuku's shorter hair.

Smiling, Izuku leaned into the gentle touch of his lover's fingers. "Love you."

Kacchan opened his eyes and looked right into Izuku's. Expression soft with a raw honesty, he whispered, "I love you."

Izuku's heart fluttered and he dropped his head down onto the blond's chest. The strong beat of Kacchan's heart relaxed him and some deep instinct had him turn his head and take the blond's plump nipple into his mouth. He sucked softly, tears sliding down his cheek, his breath hitching. Kacchan hummed and turned onto his side, wrapping Izuku in his arms.

"Hey," he whispered, soft and accepting. The hand in Izuku's hair pressed slightly at his head, holding Izuku's mouth to his chest, as he curled around Izuku. "It's okay. I've got you."

Izuku sighed through his nose, his whole body going limp with contentment as he continued to softly suck. Drool filled Izuku's mouth and he sucked a little harder to swallow before falling back into the gentle, rhythmic suction of a nursing baby.

"I've got you, Izu," Kacchan promised again. His voice was a deep, protective rumble in Izuku's ears. "Not going to let anything hurt you, baby. I'll take care of you."

A little whine escaped Izuku as he pressed into Kacchan's sheltering body. Mouth warm and full, he let everything go. All the stress and fear, the nightmares and his bleeding mind, all of it. He was safe at last. Kacchan had him.

…

Katsuki felt every soft tug of Izuku's mouth straight down to his soul. He curled around his love, burning with the need to protect, shelter, provide. His dick stirred in his pants, but he barely noticed. This went so far beyond sex or lust. He looked down at Izuku, the teen's body pressed into him so trustingly, and felt something so powerful that he almost couldn't breathe around it. Right now, he'd burn the whole fucking world down if it dared to so much as look at the boy in his arms.

Movement had his eyes snapping up. He kept the rest of his body relaxed and still, cradling Izuku's head to his chest as his lover continued to suck rhythmically. Shouto and Hitoshi were standing with their backs to the room blocking the doorway; it had been Shouto shifting his weight that had drawn Katsuki's attention. Katsuki relaxed again, knowing he was safe if they were standing watch, and turned his attention back to Izuku. He murmured something encouraging as he scratched lazily at Izuku's scalp, wishing they could stay like this forever.

Eventually, the soft pulls of Izuku's mouth stopped and Izuku's lips fell slack. Katsuki gently shifted so that he could get his arms around and under his lover. Izuku muttered something in his sleep, a smile curling his lips as Katsuki carefully climbed to his feet with Izuku in his arms. Shouto and Hitoshi fell into step behind him, guarding his back, as he carried Izuku to bed.

…

Izuku ran a towel over his damp hair. He sat on the edge of the bed in grey sweats and a dark green hoodie. He'd woken feeling refreshed and more awake than he had since the full moon. The hot shower had also helped clear away the last of the cobwebs.

Kacchan was getting dressed by the closet. Hitoshi was sitting on one of the cots, his leg bent as he stared off into space, dark circles lining his eyes. Shouto was on the other cot, reading a thick book. Izuku took a deep breath and straightened his shoulders.

"I'm going to rescue Eri," he said calmly and clearly.

Kacchan's head popped out of the neck of the black hoodie he'd grabbed and glared at him. As for Shouto and Hitoshi, they looked at him with perfectly blank faces. At least they weren't completely rejecting the idea.

"I can't leave her with the Commission," Izuku continued. "They won't torture her like Overhaul, but she's still no closer to being free." Voice tightening with emotion, he said, "She's got no one else to help her. She's all alone, and I promised. I promised I'd save her. I can't leave her behind."

Kacchan scoffed and his scowl deepened. "She's not alone. She's got us, doesn't she?"

Izuku's heart thudded hard against his ribs, overwhelmed. "Kacchan…"

"Do you even know where she is?" Kacchan demanded, crossing his arms.

Izuku took a deep steadying breath. "I'm going to ask Grim to help."

"I'll help, too," Shouto said firmly, getting to his feet.

Hitoshi nodded.

Izuku shook his head. He knew he couldn't talk Kacchan out of helping, but he couldn't let his friends risk so much. "No. This is serious. It's kidnapping among a dozen other crimes. Doing this, we'll officially be marked villains. I don't want you involved in that."

Shouto shrugged a shoulder. "I don't care what they call me. I'll be saving a little girl. That's all I need to know." He stared Izuku down. His two-colored eyes were bright with determination. "I'm not going to just live passively and hide away. I've done that all my life. I made my choice. I'm going to live for me. And that means standing by you and Katsuki. And it means saving this little girl."

"Same." Hitoshi gave him a sharp smile. "My life was always going to be short-lived, but I'm going to make it count for something."

Izuku felt his heart clench. He hated how much danger he was putting them in, but he couldn't stop them. And it was the same for them, wasn't it? They didn't want Izuku to be in danger, either. He looked helplessly to Kacchan.

"We're the fucking best, aren't we? We'll just have to not get caught," he said with a smirk, eyes glinting.

Izuku couldn't help smiling. "Alright." He got up and took another deep breath. The clarity of his thoughts hadn't worn off yet, and he held tight to that. "I'm going to go talk to Grim."

Kacchan led him down the hallway to an office. He knocked once before pushing the door open. It was empty. Kacchan pressed a button on a metal speaker on the wall by the door.

"Can I help you?" an elderly male voice asked.

"Where's Grim?" Kacchan asked, scowling.

"He is in the back garden with the young miss."

Kacchan took his finger off the button. "Come on."

Izuku bit his lip. Maybe they should wait? If Grim was spending time with Hana, they shouldn't interrupt. Then again Izuku didn't know how long he was going to be this clear headed. The idea of saving Eri was the only thing keeping him steady right now. That and Kacchan. He slipped his hand in the blond's and was relieved when Kacchan didn't pull away.

They didn't speak as they made their way through the inn and out the back doors. Cold air immediately blasted right through him. The hoodie was definitely not warm enough for being out in the weather. Kacchan's hand tightened around his own and Izuku frowned in worry. Kacchan hated the cold. It messed with his quirk, but it also reminded him of his mother. Of those horrible first years when his quirk had come in.

But Kacchan never flinched or wavered. He simply led him by the hand down a stone path toward Grim and Hana in the distance. They passed pretty ponds with bamboo fountains clacking as they tipped over. Large trees shaded the ground, making it even colder. Grim and Hana stood at the edge of one of largest pond on the grounds. Hana was bundled up in a thick down jacket and was pointing at fish. Grim stood beside her in a similar jacket, but he wore his unzipped.

"Tsuki," Grim said warmly as they stepped closer. "I'm glad to see you up and about."

Izuku smiled back at the man. "Thanks," he said shyly, hand tightening around Kacchan's.

"Are you feeling better?" Hana asked, looking up at him curiously.

"Yes, thank you." Izuku crouched down and smiling up at the little girl. "How about you? Do you like it here?"

"It's interesting." She looked up at Grim cautiously before leaning forward and saying softly, "I like it better than the school."

Izuku smiled wider. "I'm really glad to hear that. I like it here, too."

"Why don't you take her inside while I talk to Tsuki?" Grim asked, looking at Kacchan. "I think it's time we had a talk."

Kacchan scowled at that, but when Izuku gave him puppy-eyes, he gave in. With a fierce glare at Grim, he let go of Izuku. "Fine," he growled. "Come on, brat. Let's get inside where we won't freeze our asses off."

Hana giggled and went to the blond's side without hesitation.

Grim took off his jacket and put it around Izuku. "Walk with me."

Curious, Izuku followed him to a bench under a tall tree. They sat. Izuku looked up at Grim expectantly. The man stared down at his lap for a minute before reaching into a pocket of the jacket. He took a photo from it. Dark eyes solemn, he handed the picture to Izuku.

"It's time I told you about your father," Grim said softly.

Izuku's heart pounded in his throat as he stared down a the photo of his mom. She was so young. Her bright smile was so… big. It had been years since he'd seen her look so… happy. Hands shaking, he looked up at Grim.

"His name was Hasumi," Grim said quietly. "Written with the kanji for wave." Grim reached out to run his finger down the edge of the picture. "He loved your mother very much. He told me she saved him, even if it was only for a brief time."

Izuku sucked in a shaky breath. He was already crying, hearing the past tense in Grim's words.

Grim took Izuku's hand and held it tightly as he told Izuku the story of his family. Of his father being locked away by his grandfather. Of his father being forced to marry at fourteen. Of the painful process of birthing four living children.

Mikazuki was the oldest. Then Aimi was born eight years later. Then Hana only three years after that. Then one year later she died giving birth to a boy named Nanami. A boy who would later take the name Grim for the Grim Reaper when his quirk manifested at five years of age when he accidentally killed a servant by screaming his name in anger.

Izuku closed his eyes in pain when Grim told him of Aimi being forced to marry at twelve to bring peace, and he cried as Grim told him how their father had gone mad and murdered Hana in her sleep before running away. That was when Hasumi met the woman in the picture.

"Inko," Izuku whispered tearfully. "Her name's Inko Midoriya."

Grim's hand clenched around Izuku's. "Thank you," he said softly.

Izuku turned his hand over so he could hold Grim's hand just as tightly as Grim held his. He listened as Grim explained Hasumi's panic at his lover's shortened lifespan. How, in a fit of pure madness, he'd tried to kill the baby inside her. And how later he realized it wasn't the baby but himself who was a danger to her.

"He left her. To protect you both. And when Grandfather's men found him, he was alone instead of with her. But he told me. The night before he died, he whispered his story to me, and he asked me to protect her and his child if I ever came across them. I couldn't answer him then. It was a lot to take in, but the next day, when Grandfather ordered me to execute him for his crimes, I told him I would honor his last request, and he smiled as I took his life with my quirk."

Izuku couldn't stop crying. "How old were you?"

"I was ten," Grim answered.

Izuku pressed his head into his brother's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. That must have been so hard."

Grim tugged on a lock of Izuku's hair. "I killed our father, Tsuki. You should be angry not sorry."

Izuku shook his head hard, meeting Grim's dark eyes with his own. "You were ordered to," he argued. "And if you'd said no, they would have killed him another way. Maybe a crueler way. At least he didn't suffer."

Grim sighed and slipped his arm around Izuku's shoulders. "The truth is I wanted him to suffer, Tsuki. I was the one who asked Grandfather to let me be the one to execute him. I hated him for killing Hana. Hana and I were close, and he took her from me, but… When he told me his story, I realized… He wasn't the monster I thought he was… He was just a broken man… That's why I told him that morning that I'd honor the promise he asked of me."

Izuku's chest ached with empathy. "How'd you find me?" he asked quietly.

Grim gave him a cold, ironic smile. "Death runs in the family. When I heard something weird was happening to those who tried to kill in your city, I thought it was worth looking into. Then came the rumors that there was a seer who was somehow stoping the murders before they happened. When I figured out you were connected to UA, I realized you were about the right age." A fierce grin split his face and he reached up to run his thumb along Izuku's freckled cheek. "But as soon as I saw you in the bar, I knew you were mine."

Izuku looked down at the picture. As much as he looked like his mom, there was an undeniable resemblance between him and his father. "Yeah. I guess so." He looked up. "So we're brothers?"

"Brothers," Grim agreed.

Izuku smiled, warm pooling in his chest. He had a brother. "I'm glad."

"Me, too." Grim reached up to softly twist one of the curls by Izuku's temple around his finger. Dark brown eyes pierced into him. "Now will you tell me who you really are, little brother? No more secrets between us, please."

Izuku bit his lip and made his decision. He nodded. "Yes. I'll tell you everything."

And he did. He told him about his psychic quirk and how horrible the visions were. Told him about his mother's fear and how she taught Izuku to keep it a secret. About her little brother who'd been stolen and recently rediscovered as the hero Sir Nighteye. Of Kacchan becoming his friend and helping him save people. How everyone thought he was quirkless. Of being bullied at first. Of meeting All Might and the brutal physical training that followed. Of accepting One For All and getting into 1-A. Izuku told him about Daisuke and how he could talk to him if he meditated. Told him about his run-ins with the League of Villains and All For One. Explained about Eri and Overhaul. Of the Institute finding him, but he couldn't talk about Ryukichi. Not yet. He was barely holding the line, still bleeding from that wound.

Grim didn't interrupt. He just listened. A few times, when Izuku told him about being hurt, his hand would tighten around Izuku's. Izuku held back just as tightly, gratefully leaning against his side. Once he was done, he felt exhausted but at the same time lighter.

After a long minute, Grim asked quietly, "What comes next?"

Izuku looked up with determination burning in his eyes. "I have to save Eri, Grim. She's been hurt so much, and I promised her I'd save her. If I can't save one little girl, then what was all this for?"

Grim smiled ruefully. "You really are a little hero." Grabbing Izuku's jaw, he held Izuku's eyes with his own. Deep inside his pupil a dangerous red light glowed. "I'll help you, Tsuki, but I want you to understand. If you get caught or killed, I'll tear the Commission apart. I won't hold back."

Izuku felt his heart beat with fear. If he screwed this up, he'd be putting more than just his friends in danger. He knew it was selfish, but he had to take that chance! He couldn't leave Eri behind! "I understand," he said quietly, accepting Grim's warning.

Grim let him go and stood. "Good." He reached his hand down for Izuku's. "Then we have a heist to plan."

Heart leaping, Izuku took his hand and followed his brother inside.

…

Mom,

I hope you're okay. I just wanted you to know I'm safe. Things didn't go as planned with the Institute. I got hurt, but I'm feeling better. I don't know what you've been told, but I'm sorry for always putting you through so much. I guess that doesn't help much, but I wanted you to know that I love you and I'm doing my best to be safe. Sorry I can't come back yet, but I almost think it was meant to be. I found someone really important. My half-brother! Mom, I can't really explain everything in a letter, but you deserve to know, so I'm going to tell you what I can.

Dad was running from his family. He'd had a really hard childhood, and something really bad happened right before he ran away. He felt like you saved him. He was really, really happy with you, Mom. He was so sorry for what he did, and he came back to tell you that, to tell you everything, but he saw something that made him realize he'd put you in danger if he stayed. So he left. Not long after that, his father found him and brought him home. He died shortly afterward, but he told his son about you and he gave him this picture. I'll attach it to this email. Sorry if the quality isn't very good. But Dad told his son that if he ever saw you or if he ever found me to protect us. And he is! My brother isn't easy to understand, but he's done his best to take care of me. I just wanted you to know that.

I love you, Mom. I'm still doing my best to be a hero. I know I'm not a very good one. I keep making all these mistakes and I put people in danger around me more than I help anyone. I thought about giving up like you said, but there's one more person I need to help before I do. I have to save her, Mom. If it's only her I get to save then I think all of this might be worth it. I hope you're doing okay, Mom. Please take care of yourself.

Love you no matter what,

Izuku

Inko's hands shook as she finally flipped the page to look at the second page attached to the first with a paperclip. Tears streaked her cheeks, her hand lifting to cover her mouth. The photo was of her and Hasumi before it had all gone so wrong. Her heart pounded in her ears.

Hasumi was dead?

Had been for years?

All this time she'd been afraid. But he'd been dead and unable to hurt her. She'd run far from her home. Run from her life. Changed her name. But… He'd been dead. The fear had been all in her head. It hadn't been real.

Inko fell to her knees and screamed as she saw herself… Saw her life with new eyes…

She'd let fear rule her for so long. She'd keep her distance from everyone. Worked her job and keep her head down. Tried to be invisible. And she'd tried to do the same to her son. She'd told him to keep his quirk secret and then pretended it didn't exist instead of helping him deal with it. She'd told him he couldn't be a hero! She'd made him feel like he wasn't good enough! Because she was scared of losing him. Because she couldn't move forward. Because she couldn't move past the 'what ifs'.

She'd tried to drag Izuku into this mental box she'd made, where he'd be safe, with her. But he couldn't live like that. Because he couldn't give up on his dreams and life the way she had. Because her brave, strong, beautiful boy had too much to give the world. Too much life in him. And now he's left her behind because she couldn't climb out of that box. She'd let the fear win. A fear that was pointless because Hasumi was long dead, and he'd never been a danger to her. He'd apparently tried to protect her. He'd even asked his son to protect her and Izuku, gave him that picture so he'd know her.

Gasping, Inko wiped at her face in frustration. Well. She was done crying! She was done being afraid! So what if being a hero was dangerous! So what if Izuku could get hurt! That was life! Her baby was out there being a hero! He was doing important, amazing things! And he was getting hurt in the process, yes, but he was living! He was being true to himself! And she wasn't going to miss it! She wasn't going to hold him back! Not any more!

Getting to her feet, Izuku's letter clutched in her hand, she made her way to the living room. She'd been basically on house arrest with Ivy at the cabin. She'd completely lost it when she'd read Izuku's letter. When Izuku hadn't come back, she'd become completely hysterical. She'd even tried to hit Katsuki! She'd completely lost her mind. She'd basically given up. She'd given up a long time ago, really.

"Inko?" Ivy looked up from her book, worry in her eyes.

"Did you read this?" Inko asked quietly.

"Yes," she admitted. "Was I wrong to give it to you?"

"No." Inko crossed over to the other woman. "No. I needed to read it." She took a deep breath. "I'm ready to give up on the fear. I know I've said it before, but this is different. Before, when I said I wasn't going to let fear rule me, I meant I'd be more rational about it. I still thought I was right to be scared. But I was wrong. Everything I was afraid of. It wasn't real. Except the Institute trying to take my son. But being afraid of them didn't protect us from them. My baby had the right idea." She lifted her chin. "Izuku was right. We need to face this. We need to put it behind us. We can't let it have power over us anymore." She stared into Ivy's eyes pleadingly. "Tell me how I can help my son be the hero he was meant to be. He's been so strong for so long. I can't let him give up now."

Ivy stood and embraced her friend. "I'm so proud of you."

Inko gratefully hugged her back before pulling away. "Ivy, how can I help him?" she asked again, determined.

Ivy smiled. "I think we should go back to UA. Izuku's going to need his friends. And his friends need their dorm matron. Especially now during these turbulent times. And you need to talk to his teachers. Aizawa, especially. He's Izuku's main point of contact. He'll know best how you can help. And if at all possible, you need to write Izuku back."

Inko nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

…

Over the next two days, while they waited for Grim to get them the information they needed, Katsuki ran everyone through combat drills and physical training. If they were going to break into the Commission and steal Eri back without getting caught, they all had to be at their fucking best.

— "You're… as bad… as Aizawa…" Hitoshi gasped, collapsing on the mat.

Katsuki grinned down at him, all teeth. "You ain't seen nothin' yet. Get your ass up, Socrates. We're going again." —

Truth was, their training had been interrupted and spotty for weeks with everything going on, so they all needed the work out, but Hitoshi was by far the worst of them. The Institute only cared about basic physical fitness, so he'd had to play catch up from the beginning. Getting off track with this physical training meant he had the biggest losses as his body began to reset to zero.

As for Shouto, he'd been drilled in combat by his father all his life, so he didn't lose as much progress by the short break. However, Endeavor hadn't trusted anyone else with his masterpiece, and he'd often be gone for missions or whatever, so in the end, that meant he'd drilled Shouto brutally for short bursts between absences. The result was Shouto had a good foundation of combat skill, but he had no endurance, which Katsuki had seen during their internship.

— "How… can you… bend… like that!" Hitoshi protested, dripping sweat, his muscles screaming.

"It doesn't… seem physically… possible…" Shouto agreed breathlessly as he tried to mimic Katsuki and Izuku's yoga poses. —

Even Katsuki and Izuku had lost a little ground. Going through All Might's yoga proved that. They used to be able to run through the sixty positions easily. It was physically demanding and a good workout, but it wasn't a challenge. Now they could feel the stretch, their muscles having lost some elasticity, and by the end, they were trembling from the strain.

— "You're still slow to guard your left side," Katsuki growled, holding his hand down to Shouto who was flat on his back on the mat. "You can't rely on your ice all the time."

"Again," Shouto panted, getting into position. —

They fought each other. One-on-one. Two-on-two. Even three-on-one. It was harder than Katsuki realized to work together and not get in each other's way. He did fine when he fought beside Deku, but he wasn't able to predict IcyHot or Braindead as well, which meant Izuku got away as often as they were able to pin him.

— "Race you to the top," Izuku suddenly declared, eyes bright with challenge. "It'll be good practice for uneven terrain."

Katsuki grinned, fierce and eager. "I want an ice cream sundae when I win."

"I want katsudon when I win," Izuku tossed back.

"What if I win?" Shouto cut in.

Katsuki laughed in his face.

"No quirks," Izuku insisted. "Unless you're about to fall or something. If you use your quirk, you're out of the race."

"It's fifty-six degrees outside! And the roof's still wet from the rain," Hitoshi protested.

"You can wait down here if you're not up for it," Katsuki said mockingly.

"Fuck you," the purple-haired teen glared. "Fine. But I don't have a quirk to save my neck if I fall, so if I die, I hope you wither away from guilt."

Izuku smiled reassuringly at his friend. "We'll catch you if you fall, okay? Get ready. Get set…"

"Go!" Katsuki yelled and leapt for the edge of the roof, swinging his body up and over.

"No fair!" Izuku laughed, leaping up and grabbing the roof edge.

"Fair is for losers!" Katsuki yelled back, already on the run. —

In the end, Katsuki did win, but it was by a very narrow margin, and Izuku went down to the kitchen to make him a sundae. Katsuki ate it with a smug smirk, licking the spoon clean after every delicious bite. Izuku got a bit hot around the collar and he dragged Katsuki into the bedroom from some alone time. Shouto and Hitoshi were more than happy to give them their space. They'd gotten enough of a show that time in the dojo.

— "AHHHHH!" Izuku arched with a terrified scream, caught in a horrific nightmare.

Overhaul watched, eyes gleaming as the Demon took Izuku apart, torturing him, tearing apart his body bit by bloody, agonizing bit, and just when Izuku was finally going to be released into death, Overhaul reached for him, his hand large, filling his vision completely. "Let's start over, shall we?" With a scream, Izuku unraveled into a spatter of molecules in the air, only to reform in a burst of agony, his body screaming at the sheer wrongness of it but in perfect health once more. The Demon laughed in delight, "Oh good! Let's play some more!"

Kacchan's crackling mini-explosions pulled him from the night terror for the second night in a row. He held Izuku as he shook and sobbed, babbling about the Demon and Overhaul. Kacchan soothed him and held him close, whispering promises that they were both dead and could never hurt him again. Izuku whimpered and shivered, and just as he had the previous night, Kacchan lifted the bottom of his hoodie in invitation.

Whimpering, Izuku slipped his head inside. He was embarrassed, knew this was weird, but he was too weak to deny himself the comfort of Kacchan's body. Instantly, Kacchan's heat wrapped around him. It was dark inside his hoodie, but Kacchan's heartbeat grounded him, made him feel safe. Kacchan's arms came around him, holding him in place, cradling him, and Izuku gave in. His lips found Kacchan's nipple and he latched on, sucking desperately at first, and then slower and softer as he began to calm, sleep hazing his mind.

When Izuku woke and dragged his head out from under Kacchan's shirt, cheeks blazing with embarrassment, Kacchan only smiled at him, sleepily running his hand through Izuku's hair with a soft 'good morning'. Izuku's face burned with shame, but at the same time his heart felt so full of gratitude and love. —

Finally, on the morning of the third day, Grim called them to a meeting room on the first floor. It was large with a long, polished wooden table that sat twenty and had comfortable leather office chairs. The largest of them had been placed at the head of the table where Grim now sat. To his left was a small girl who was sitting on her knees so she could see over the table and an old man with silver hair, bright blue eyes, and a thin beard and mustache. The man was dressed in a strange suit with an enormous collar that formed two sharp points rising up above his head. The girl had her hair in long pigtails and wore a small suit jacket and striped gray pants.

"Come." Grim gestured to the chairs on his other side. "Let me introduce you. This is Manami Aiba and Danjuro Tobita. I believe they can help you with your mission." He turned to face the other two. "These are the young heroes I spoke to you about."

"What are supposed heroes doing getting involved with a gangster like him?" the man asked, eyes sharp.

Katsuki ignored the two strangers and glared fiercely at Grim. "We didn't agree to letting anyone else in on this."

Grim held his eyes. "This young lady has the best hacking skills in this country. And this gentlemen has talents that shouldn't be underestimated. You'll need them."

Katsuki snarled, ready to tear the asshole a new one, but Izuku cut him off.

"Are you sure?" he asked the two, aqua eyes large and concerned as he looked from one to the other. "If we get caught, the Commission will label us all villains. We could got to jail."

"This creature says you are rescuing a child?" the old man asked, gesturing to Grim.

Izuku nodded. "She was rescued from Overhaul." His fists clenched, his jaw tight. "He hurt her a lot. Because of her quirk. The Commission is interested in her quirk, too, so they took her." His eyes practically glowed as he announced. "I promised I'd save her, so that's what I'm going to do."

"Like I said," Grim said with a soft smile, eyes predatory. "This is your chance, Danjuro. You'll be remembered forever if you pull this off. You'll be the first to ever break in and get out of a Commission compound. And you'll get to be a hero on top of it. Prove to everyone they were wrong about you."

The old man looked down at the small girl. "What do you think, honey?"

Katsuki scowled at the dirtbag. Honey?

"It checks out, Gentle," she said, looking up from her phone. "Those three - Primus, Deku, and Socrates - have warrants out for their arrest, but no crime was stated. Looks like they simply went AWOL. And I found a little girl who was indeed admitted into a private Commission hospital right after the raid on Overhaul's compound."

"The fuck?!" Katsuki moved to go around the table and grab her phone, but Grim shot out an arm blocking Katsuki from going around him to get to the other two. Katsuki very reluctantly held position, but he wasn't going to be quiet about it. He glared at the girl. "How the fuck did you find all that out?"

"I've got a way with computers." She smiled and dangled her phone in front of him. "I designed it myself. I can find out anything you want to know."

"Is that your quirk?" Izuku asked curiously, eyes bright. "Are you a technopath? Those are so rare!"

She shook her head. "No." She shot an adoring look at the old man next to her. "My quirk's something else."

The old man smiled and put his hand on her head, making her blush.

"The hell, old man!" Katsuki yelled, fury boiling inside him. He didn't care what Grim fucking said. He was not going to work with a fucking pedophile! "You get off on little kids?!"

The girl flashed him an impressive look of fury. "I may be small, but I'm not a kid! I'm twenty-two!"

The old man put his nose in the air. "And I am not old. I'm simply a distinguished gentleman of thirty-one years."

Katsuki could only stare at the two. Fuck, were these two for real?

"Are you in, Danjuro?" Grim asked, staring intently at the other man as if the outburst had never happened.

The old man crossed his arms. "What will happen to the girl after we rescue her? She will not become yakuza property, will she?"

Grim inclined his head toward Izuku. "She will become Tsuki's ward. Like I said, this isn't a yakuza project. I am simply helping out a friend."

The two weirdos shared a look before the old man turned back to them with a smile. "This shall be the shining star of my career! We're in!"

Katsuki sneered. Really? He was just going to take Grim's word for it Eri wouldn't become a yakuza prize? He still wasn't convinced they needed the liability of these two clowns, but the girl set a briefcase laptop on the table and began to type furiously. In less than an hour, she confirmed Eri's location and even got them a blueprint of the building as well as employee records. Fuck. He scowled, hating that Grim was right. The girl at least would be useful.

"It'll take me a day, but I'll be able to write a code that will get me into their systems. I'll be able to stall any alarms, but this is the Commission we're talking about. I don't think I'll be able to buy us a few minutes time. Fifteen minutes max."

"Leave that to us, my dear!" the old man cried dramatically, flourishing his arm in the air. "It will be marvelous! Like pulling a rabbit from a hat! The world will be in awe of our skill!"

Katsuki's eyes snapped over to the idiot. "The world won't know jack shit!"

The asshole waved his finger in Katsuki's face. Katsuki snapped his teeth, trying to bite him, but the man jerked his hand back in time. "Tut! How will we ever be recognized if we don't let the world know of our greatness. Not to worry! If you are too shy to share this stage with me, you need not be in the video!"

"There won't be any video!" Katsuki snarled warningly, hands crackling.

"Don't be mean to Gentle!" the girl snapped.

"Let them be," Grim advised. He stood and came around to stand at Katsuki's side. Katsuki glared up at him, refusing to flinch or pull away, as the man reached out and tugged on Katsuki's hair. "Besides, it's only fair they get something out of the deal. You get your friend back, and they get the credit for her rescue."

Katsuki knocked Grim hand away from his hair, giving him an incredulous look. "You can't be serious."

Was Grim seriously suggesting that they let these two idiots take the blame? If they got themselves arrested, they'd turn on Katsuki and the others in a flash! Unless Grim planned on killing them if it came to that? Katsuki had no doubt Grim would murder them both if it meant protecting Izuku, but Izuku would feel guilty for the rest of his life if he did. Like hell would Katsuki allow that!

"No fucking way!" he snapped. "No cameras!"

The old man laughed. "Don't worry, my boy! This is what we do! We're professionals!"

Katsuki glared at him hotly. "You're a fucking idiot," he snarled.

Grim shot him a cold look. "Let them do what they want as long as it doesn't interfere with you getting your friend back. You'll need their help if you're going to pull this off."

Katsuki bared his teeth.

Izuku was oblivious to the undercurrents of the conversation, completely emerged in the schematics the girl had found. "According to this schedule, they have the fewest personal between midnight and six am," he muttered, bent over the girl's laptop.

She nodded. "But it'll be hard to break in because the whole place is on lock down during those hours."

Shit. He looked from his boyfriend who was muttering away with the girl, to the grinning clown next to them, and then finally he met Grim's cold, dark eyes. Izuku wanted Eri out and Grim was making that happen. Katsuki glared hotly, hands clenched. He shot a look to Shouto and Hitoshi. They immediately caught his eyes, alert and attentive. They gave small nods to indicate they were with him. Katsuki let out a deep breath. Shit. Okay. They would just have to make sure the two clowns didn't get arrested. That way Grim wouldn't have a reason to kill them, and Izuku wouldn't have to bear one more burden. Fuck. As if this whole thing wasn't complicated enough.

Chapter end.

A/n: What'd you think? (bounces excitedly)