Ch. 1
.o0o.
It was almost 3:00 AM when he got the call.
He mumbled irritably, standing up and walking over to his desk, almost toppling over the chair as he did so, letting some four-letter words escape him.
He grabbed his phone, wincing at the light.
"Gahh-" he grumbled, looking at the unknown number.
He shook his head, rolling his eyes as he answered.
"What?"
"Is this Aizawa Shota?"
"Yeah?"
"Sir, Miss Mira Noraki has gotten into an accident here in Tokyo."
Aizawa froze. Mira Noraki? He hasn't heard from her or spoken to her since they...well...broke up, simply put.
"Who is this?" he asked.
"This is the _ Hospital in Tokyo, where she's being treated. It doesn't look good sir."
"Why are you calling me?"
"She made a personal request that we call you, sir. She and her...your daughter...who was also involved, are being held here."
Aizawa froze again. His stomach dropped.
"My what?"
"Your daughter. As stated on her birth certificate, you are the father of Samiko Noraki. Miss Noraki's daughter that is. She requested we notify you."
He...what?
Why would she request him? She knew he was...mediocre at best with children, he can barely take care of himself-Hizashi would make a better dad! She knew him in high school!
The caller continued. "As II said before, there is a possibility that Noraki could not make it. She is being taken care of in the _ Tokyo Hospital."
"What were they doing in Tokyo?"
"Hero work, sir."
Aizawa didn't even know how to continue.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
He hung up.
.o0o.
Mira was pronounced dead.
On his arrival.
He didn't dare go see her body.
Her mother, older brother, and sister were there for her as well...which was good in a sense…
They didn't like him much. Never had. He returned the favor. But damn, he loved Mira while they lasted.
He didn't approach them, but he did know that if he had a daughter….he had to at least see her.
Like, now.
He speed-walked through the wings of the hospital, at a whopping 6:00 AM, searching the wings for a Noraki Samiko.
He ran into Hizashi and Nemuri, who apparently were called as well, after a receptionist directed him down a hallway.
"Sho-" Hizashi started, walking up to his friend.
"Where is she?" he demanded.
"Sho, it-" he cleared his throat, "It's been a rough night for everyone. You should rest before-"
"Where is she?" he asked again, "I need to see her. Now."
"Shota," Nemuri said carefully, wiping a tear from her cheek, "We know she's gone...But you need to think rationally. Would it be the best thing to walk into that room in the state that you're-that we all-are in? After everything that's happened? That girl just lost her mother-"
"And I've gained a daughter. Let me in."
He pushed through the both of them, walking into the room.
There was a young child, only around five, with medium-length black hair. She was laying in a somewhat fetal position on the large bed with a young woman who he recognized as Mira's younger sister sitting with her, talking to her quietly.
He was honestly surprised that a girl that young would be up at this hour, since apparently, the accident happened at three. He would have assumed she would be sleeping.
The girl had her arm casted with firm gauze and ice packs, a wrap-around her head and her right eye. She looked like she just woke up, somewhat shaken, her eye(s) downcast.
Upon his entry, the child looked up at him, her yellow eyes staring at him.
Mira's sister-she must have been around 17 by now-looked up as well, smiling to the patient before staying and walking to him at the doorway.
"Mira…" she paused, "Mira wanted me to give you this…"
She gave Aizawa an envelope with his name written on it. He took it from her hands, confused.
She nodded to him with a tight, sad smile, and left.
He sat down in room 320 with the little girl sitting in front of him quietly.
It read:
Dear Shota,
I don't know how many times I've written and rewritten this letter. But I suppose I'll get to the point. You have a daughter.
I found out a week after you left, and I didn't want to or feel any real need to tell you. You were over me and on your own, and I thought I was over you. I knew I could do it.
I ultimately decided to keep the baby. It was a little girl, and I named her Samiko.
She looks so much like you, and even acts like you too, sometimes. The resemblance is sometimes uncanny.
If you are reading this, then that means I'm either dead or out of commission. I would have requested someone call you, and my sister Aila would have given you the letter.
With that being said, I want you to take care of our daughter. I think that you will be an amazing father. You just have to believe. I believe in you. I've already warded off my mom and brother, they know about this plan and so does Samiko.
She is very smart and very rational. I doubt she will cause you much trouble. She is very honest-I don't think she's ever told a lie in her life. She's considerate, observant, contemplative, and curious. All she really needs is some love, and she will let you know when and how she needs it. Trust me.
Her birthday is January 24th. She will remind you of that as well.
Sho, I can't apologize enough for springing this onto you. With that being said, I am so, so, so, so sorry. I hope this letter never finds you, and that you find out about Samiko via invitation and not by necessity.
I refuse to put Sami into the foster system. Aila is too young to take in Samiko, and frankly I don't want her being raised in an overly loud environment with either Hizashi or Nemuri.
I hope that you never find out this way and that this letter never finds you. But if you are reading this...I guess it is what is.
Thank you for everything that you've ever done for me. It does not go unnoticed.
Once again, I am sorry. This is goodbye...And good luck.
Mira
He closed the pages, placing them carefully back into the envelope.
He looked up at the small girl in front of him, staring at him intently.
"Hey," Aizawa said awkwardly, unsure of how to properly address the situation.
She tilted her head. "Are...You're my dad?"
How did she know that?
"Yeah," he stood, then sat on the bed, "I guess I am."
"Huh…" she looked back down, contemplative. She looked back up at him after a moment, straight into his eyes.
They were both quiet for just a few seconds.
"M...Momma's not coming back…is she?" she asked bluntly.
"No," he said, "I don't think she is."
She nodded, looking down again, moving her arm.
"Am I going home with you then?"
"Once you're released, yes."
"Oh…"
There was another long, strange silence. Almost depressing.
Aizawa thought long and hard about his current situation. At least with Mira here, answers could and would be found some way or another. Now, he was on his own. It was just the two of them now.
"So…" she spoke up again, "It's just the two of us now?" she inquired meekly.
Those were my words verbatim, he thought, wh-that's the third time that's happened...how did she know?
"I just know," she commented.
Aizawa didn't know what to think. She did it again.
"I'll stop answering your questions if you want me to," she said finally, looking somewhat ashamed.
"No, it's….you're fine."
She glanced up at him, the corner of her mouth twitching up in a half-smile, moving her wrapped arm once again.
She looked up when Aila poked her head in.
"S-Sho?"
"Hm?"
"Can I speak with you a moment?"
"Sure."
He stood, sparing one last glance at his daughter who looked asleep now.
"Shota," Aila said once they were alone.
"Why did she ask me?" he asked immediately, "She knows I don't work well with kids, and I've been in the dark about this ever since-oh, right now?!"
"Sho, I know it's bad. I know it's sudden," Aila admitted, "but she trusts you. She knew something about you and….believed in you enough to write you that letter. Mira wasn't stupid. She knows what's best for-"
"Okay, I get it. It's rough, it's hard. Why me? Her family adores her-"
"But they don't adore Sami!"
Aizawa startled. "What?"
Aila sighed. "When she found out she was pregnant, Mother basically hated her for it. She refused to have a hand in raising Sami-chan besides finances and child support because Mira didn't tell you. I don't even think she and Milo have even spoken to each other since before she was born. Whenever Sami-chan and her are together with the family, they don't even acknowledge Sami-chan."
"What about the Wild Wild Pussycats? They'll gladly take her in and take care of her."
"She wanted you, Shota. She knows you'll raise her the way she wanted Samiko to be raised. With a rational way of thinking and security only you can give her. She-" her voice faltered, "She was planning on telling you...before or around the UA Heroes Convention and reunion."
Oh yeah. That was a thing that he was definitely looking forward to going to. Thankfully, it wasn't mandatory, but Hizashi was making it mandatory.
"But…" Aila blinked back tears. Aizawa said nothing. "Now...it...Call if you need anything," she finished, "I'll fill you in on the funeral and...things…"
She then left to go speak with Hizashi and Nemuri.
He sat against the wall, running a hand through his hair.
Mira's dead. Gone. For Good.
He has a daughter. That Mira never told him about for one reason or another. Who is injured.
He had no idea how this bill was going to be paid, but he supposed it would happen somehow.
He would make it happen. One way or another.
He swiped his hands down his face, watching a nurse walk into Samiko's room out of the corner of his eye.
He sighed to himself, standing up and walking in behind the nurse.
She turned and looked at him, slightly startled.
"Oh," she said, "Visiting hours are from-"
"I'm not leaving," he stated.
"W...Well," she stammered, "Would you like me to get you anything?"
"A cot and a coffee would be fine."
She changed the sleeping girl's ice packs and woke her briefly to change the bandages on her head and eye-
He was shocked to see her entire right eye was swollen shut, a large laceration right over her eyelid slashing into her cheek.
He waited for her to go back to sleep (which was fairly quickly) before asking, "Will her eye be okay?"
The nurse sucked in a breath through her teeth. "The doctor says she could be blind in the one, but we won't be able to tell until the cut heals."
He nodded and she left promptly.
He looked at this small, small child, his daughter's sleeping form resting comfortable on her right side, both arms and legs tucked close to her chest, her lips pressed in a small pout.
He stood next to the bed, admiring his daughter's features. She looked like her mother-perhaps a bit too much like her mother.
His throat tightened at the sight, and he pursed his lips, brushing her hair out of her face, his hand trailing on her cheek.
Her nose scrunched, her ice backed arm pulling up to wipe at her face, waking herself up when she booped her nose a bit harder than seemed fair.
Her brows furrowed-her nose still scrunched-as she blinked awake.
"Did I wake you?" Aizawa asked, his voice rumbling in his chest.
She shook her head, closing her eyes and stretching up. "Mmph...No..." she mumbled.
"Okay," he continued, "go ahead and get some rest, okay?"
She nodded, rolling back over, gathering the blanket on the bed in her hands, curling back up, and going back to sleep.
He found himself half-smiling wanly at her, remembering the cold nights he had when Mira stole the blankets like that.
The nurse returned with the cot and coffee, setting up the bed next to the IV stand. With a thank you, he let the nurse leave, laid down, and went to sleep.
"It'll all be alright, Samiko."
.o0o.