"Hizashi… I hate pawning Shinso off on you but I just can't keep up with our usual schedule anymore." His friend was the perfect person to take over for him. He would still train Hitoshi on Mondays each week… the hero wasn't going to completely abandon the kid but he had to ask someone to step in, just until Katsuki was more settled.

Shota had to be available for his ward especially right now. Things are still so raw for Katsuki. He hasn't been able to maintain without support which is totally normal… it had only been a little over a week. It would take… well he wasn't sure how long but he wouldn't leave the kid to manage on his own.

"You aren't pawning him off Sho… Bakugo needs you right now. Besides, I've worked with him before during some of your past sessions. We know each other and you're not bailing on him. It won't be like this forever." Hizashi was right but he still felt terrible.

"I just hope Shinso understands." Before the original loud blonde (he couldn't believe a pint size version was now in his care) could respond, they heard Katsuki's bedroom (the guest room was definitely his now) door open and the teen was strolling towards them with a determined expression.

"Why aren't you ready yet old man? Kirishima won't stop texting me." The teacher rolled his eyes because they still had plenty of time before they were due to leave.

"I'm ready kid. I just need to grab my work bag and capture weapon." The boy huffed but didn't say anything else, electing to walk into the kitchen… hopefully he'll grab something to snack on. He wasn't sure how long they'd be at the agency and Shota doesn't keep food, nothing the two teen boys would like, in his office there.

"Well I'm going to get going then Sho. We can talk more about Shinso Monday." The younger blonde watched as Hizashi left and then turned his attention to him.

Face contorted into a contemplative scowl. The kid was clearly trying to decide how to go about saying whatever it was that was on his mind.

"Isn't Shinso the guy who got his ass kicked by the nerd at the Sports Festival?" The hero chuckled at the description but the man could sense something else was weighing heavily on his student's mind.

"He is." Katsuki stepped from his place at the kitchen counter and moved to a closer position in front of his new guardian.

It warmed the older one's heart to see the sign of trust he's shown because Katsuki's parents wouldn't receive that same sort of gesture. Shota also wouldn't snatch the boy up if he said something he didn't quite agree with…

Not the time for homicidal thoughts. He could ponder his not so hero-like plans when the minor, who also happened to be their son, wasn't standing a few feet in front of him.

"Aren't you training him?" He didn't sound upset, curious definitely and even slightly confused but there was no hint of malice in his tone.

"I am… well I was. Hizashi… Present Mic will be…" his sentence was cut off immediately.

"What the fuck do you mean you were? You can't just fucking bail on him!" And okay he wasn't expecting that sort of reaction.

"I'm not bailing on him Katsuki. I will still meet with him on Mondays and check on his progress regularly but right now I am focused on your…" again he was interrupted.

"Don't use me as your excuse asshole! You… you said you'd be there for me right? That I wasn't alone anymore or whatever…" Shota nodded his head, not speaking because it was clear that Katsuki wasn't finished.

He wanted the teen to feel safe enough to express himself and the hero didn't mind the unfiltered way his ward chose to communicate with him in this moment. The boy wasn't subtle at all and Shota didn't want him to change for his sake.

"Did you tell Shinso the same shit?" The question caught him off guard. His face morphed into something he usually didn't let people see.

He was known for his neutral, almost bored demeanor. He didn't allow himself to wear his heart on his sleeve… mostly because he didn't find it helpful. As a hero, making sure the people he rescued remained calm was a huge part of his job. It's part of the reason he didn't let his emotions show but he had always been sort of closed off.

This just gave him a reason to stay that way.

But that question knocked him off balance.

He already felt guilty for what he had been planning on doing in regards to Shinso's training but now he was being challenged by someone who wouldn't sugarcoat things.

Hizashi placated his worries by reminding him that the hero hopeful wasn't being tossed to the side and forgotten but now… now he was completely second guessing himself.

He was the one who came to Shinso… he was the one who had worked with him for the last couple of months… he was the one who advocated for his transfer to the other faculty members…

"I didn't mean to…" he was yanked from his own internal struggle when he heard the slight edge of panic in his other wayward child's voice.

"You're right kid. Learning how to balance things is difficult and I am trying to make the best decision for everyone but you're right…" taking a deep breath, a desperate attempt to settle his own erratic nerves, he took a seat on the couch… patting the place next to him as an invitation.

The younger one took a seat, no ounce of hesitation which did wonders for calming Shota down even further.

He hadn't fractured their tentative bond…

Good.

"I would love to hear your thoughts… I usually train with Hitoshi four days a week for a few hours at a time. I want to be present for you though so in my mind… I assumed that it would be necessary for me to transfer my responsibilities to someone with more free time." This was not an easy topic to talk about. It felt awkward and he could feel the shame washing over him.

He was the adult. He shouldn't have taken on so much if he couldn't handle it.

"Couldn't I just come with you? I'm the best damn student in the hero course. It would make sense for him to learn from me anyway." Shota really shouldn't be surprised but this kid had a way of completely amazing him.

"I should've just asked you huh kid?" The exaggerated eye roll was exactly the response he was banking on.

"I thought you were one of the smart ones old man?" Yeah well he did too but he guesses they were both wrong.

"Can I be honest with you?" Katsuki turned his entire body towards him and shrugged, trying to appear unaffected by the sudden shift.

"I just really don't want to fuck this up. This is all new to me and you're my top priority right now. I didn't think rationally which for me is… it's not usually a problem for me." Shota needed to get everything off his chest so the teen could see that he was willing to do whatever it took to keep him safe. He wanted this to be a two way street when it came to honesty.

"This is very important to me… you are very important to me, so I made a decision without considering all the options. I would love it if you joined us but I need you to let me know if it becomes too much. You have to be honest with me about how you're doing no matter what." The blonde let his shoulders sag slightly as he chewed on his lip a bit too harshly.

"Mic is more than capable of taking over on the days you need a break…" a look of determination, mixed with a bit of defiance passed over the kid's face. Shota wasn't sure if that was something he should be proud of or worried about.

"Does that mean you'll admit when you need a break? I know I'm probably driving you crazy and shit…" the kid cowered slightly, his body language stiffening, a clear indication that he was expecting his guardian to say something negative.

He really did want to kill the boy's parents.

"Kastsuki, if at any point I become frustrated with you, I will tell you. It's normal but I promise you kid… you are not the problem in this scenario." He was fairly certain the teen would understand what he was insinuating.

"You really hate them don't you old man?" Shota sighed deeply, trying to determine if it was appropriate to tell his ward just how much he really despised those two useless human beings.

"I hate that you had to live with people who didn't support you for the last fifteen years. You deserve so much better Katsuki." The blonde still didn't believe that but he would continue to say it until it finally stuck.

"Whatever you say… let's go pick up Sharky before he starts blowing up my phone again."

He let the kid direct him to the door so they could leave, not mentioning the blush that had formed on the boy's face.

He was more focused on preparing himself for the impending disaster that would most certainly take place when they picked Midoriya up this evening.

Why had he agreed to that again?

"Oh my god Sharky! What the hell was that?" Katsuki was doubled over, barely able to keep himself upright as he watched his friend stutter out an apology to his mentor turned caregiver.

"It was an accident! Why would you sneak up on me like that?!" It was Aizawa's turn to laugh at the distraught teen.

"As a hero in training, it's your job to be mindful of your surroundings at all times. I could've been a villain Kirishima… you're situational awareness needs work." The blonde teen began to cackle even louder at his teachers comment. His stomach was aching in the best way.

He wasn't used to this.

"Your face! Holy shit!" The redhead tried but failed to glare at him. It was more of a pout but Katsuki stopped laughing… mostly anyway.

"You better have cameras in here old man! I need video proof of this." The boys had been waiting in the older man's office so he could return the support gear to the designated area when Aizawa Sensei had walked up behind his friend (he was standing near the doorway) and just stood there until Kiri turned around.

The hero was silent for a solid two minutes while he was waiting. His footsteps were undetectable as he came down the hallway.

The sunshine boy never stood a chance.

He had made a very embarrassing sound as he unintentionally activated his quirk in an attempt to defend himself. Aizawa cancelled it immediately but it didn't stop the teen from continuing to freak out.

It was incredible.

"Of course we have cameras Katuski. Now let's go… we need to get Kirishima home."

The teens raced to the car, Aizawa trailed behind them, shaking his head fondly at their childish antics.

The blonde had tripped his friend so of course, he won.

The car ride to Kirishima's house was filled with chatter about how cool the new support gear was. Aizawa had shown them some new tracking equipment along with some recently developed heat resistant communication devices. That specific item was still being tested out but Katsuki loved the idea since his quirk involved explosions. His body temperature ran high on a normal day.

The car ride to his old neighborhood however, was eerily quiet.

When Aizawa pulled up in front of Izuku's house he felt his throat begin to constrict. His hands were twitching in his lap and he refused to move first.

"It's okay if you've changed your mind kid." The boy snapped his attention to his mentor, eyes wide and unblinking.

"But Izuku…" his voice was squeaky as he fidgeted in the passenger seat of the small sedan.

"I think Midoriya would understand." Tears began to form in the teens waterline. He had never cried in front of Aizawa but he was just so damn emotional lately.

"You're not mad.. I wasted your time and…" an aborted sob broke free and he quickly covered his mouth with his hands. He couldn't continue to embarrass himself in front of the old man.

Strong hands pulls his away from his mouth. A gentle squeeze is all it took for him to break.

Before he could register what was happening, the blonde was being pulled from his seat and carried to back of the car. It was never busy in this neighborhood on the weekends because most of the families were usually gone. Izuku was like the only other school aged kid on the block and the rest of the adults had jobs that kept them away.

So he didn't need to be concerned that someone would catch him being coddled.

The hero sat him down next to him on the curb, allowing the teen to shift his body weight so he was leaning against his chest.

His teacher didn't speak for several minutes which Katsuki was grateful for. He needed a chance to catch his breath.

"Feeling better kid?" Katsuki grumbled softly but didn't move from his spot. He liked the comfort his guardian provided. It wasn't overbearing or forced. He was just a solid presence that made him feel safe.

He hated that he craved it so much.

"Yeah." He felt so small right now. Being back here just felt so wrong. He wanted to leave.

"I just want to go home." Before Aizawa could answer him, he heard footsteps.

They both looked up to see Izuku coming towards them.

"Fuck." The older man squeezed his shoulder and gave him a look that said he'd take care of it.

Katsuki had never been more grateful.

"Hello Midoriya. There has been a change in plans. You can't stay with us tonight because I have something important I need to take care of in the morning." The distraught look in the nerd's eyes almost had him protesting but the old man must've noticed too because he wasn't finished.

"But I thought I could take you both to get some ice cream since I'm the one responsible for the sudden change." Izuku smiled brightly and ran off to tell his mother what was going on.

"Why did you lie?" Katsuki wasn't angry with him about it but he felt bad that his teacher was the one taking the blame for his weakness.

"I didn't lie. I do have something important to take care of in the morning. We are going to be taking a trip to the sensory support shop in town to get you some things to help with your anxiety." Katsuki just gaped at him because what the fuck?

Why was he always so damn nice to him? His mom would've just told him to get the hell over himself but Aizawa was taking him to buy coping skills?

He had to be dreaming.

"What?" The old man just smiled and held out a hand so he could help the boy up from his spot.

"I need to get a new weighted blanket anyway and I think you'll enjoy it. They have a ton of cool shit there." The blonde snorted at his use of foul language but couldn't help the excitement that was starting to replace his previous feelings of dread.

"I was thinking about inviting Todoroki too." It's almost like the sleepy caterpillar read his mind. He had the same idea because he knew Shoto struggled with similar issues but he was just as stubborn as Katsuki when it came to asking for help.

"Yeah the half and half bastard could use a damn stress toy or ten." Aizawa just rolled his eyes and motioned for him to get into the car since the nerd was running back over to them.

They both got in the back seat, Katsuki feeling a lot less overwhelmed than he had a few minutes ago.

"I'm happy we still get to hangout Kacchan!" The smaller of the two held out his hand and Katsuki felt childish but he still grabbed onto it. He needed the support right now.

His teacher was about to pull off when his mother stepped in front of the car, eyes burning right through the man in the front seat.

Luckily for them, Aizawa Sensei was not impressed or the slightest bit scared… that helped with his own fear that was trying to take control.

"Stay put boys." Katsuki sunk into the backseat and his friend moved closer which he allowed because holy shit his mother was pissed.

As soon as the hero stepped out of the car, he locked the door with his remote and turned his attention to Mitsuki.

The two teens were silent so they could hear everything.

"Let me see my fucking son." The nerd tightened his grip on his hand, the blonde was shaking. He didn't want to see her and he definitely didn't want to be close enough for her to touch him.

He felt his world starting to collapse around him.

"What a fucking joke Katsuki! I can't believe my son let himself be taken by villains."

"You'll never be a hero! Look at you… you're pathetic!"

"You're such an embarrassment brat! Why can't you be more like Izuku?"

Tears were dripping down his cheeks and he just wanted to go. He didn't want to see her face anymore.

He was about to lose it when he heard his teach practically growl at his mother.

Both boys practically jumped from their spots to stare out the window in awe of the older man.

Katsuki hadn't heard what the hag had been saying but it had to be pretty bad if the old man lost his cool.

"You have five seconds… five seconds to leave before I arrest you. Don't test me Mitsuki. I am not in the mood and my kids would like some damn ice cream so if you'll excuse me… it's time for us to go." Izuku giggled at the man's words… the nerd actually giggled.

I mean it was sort of comical to watch his mom squirm under their teachers intense "don't you dare utter another damn word" glare. She was utterly speechless and decided to actually use her brain for once.

She stomped away, eyes never looking over to him and finally he could relax.

Not all the way but he felt safer now that she wasn't in eyesight.

Aizawa was back in the driver seat in a flash and had to take a few deep breaths of his own before he could address the two boys.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that. I am usually able to contain myself but… I shouldn't have allowed her to get under my skin like that." Katsuki stared at him like he had just grown three extra heads.

"Why the fuck are you apologizing? The hag is insane and you put her in her damn place. If you weren't with us I would've been screwed." And it was the truth. No other person that had seen or heard her act this way would've cared. They just assumed he needed the discipline.

"Regardless kid. I am an adult, a pro hero, I shouldn't be yelling at civilians." The blonde understood but it still didn't change the fact that Aizawa had saved him again.

He didn't even hesitate he just stepped in and protected him.

It was more than he could ever repay. His debt was starting to really pile up.

"I will always keep you safe Katsuki. Same goes for you Midoriya. If she tries to bother either of you… I expect you to tell me." Both teens agreed easily. They didn't want to deal with her so putting that responsibility on their teacher was simple.

"Now… if you boys are ready, I could really use some mint chocolate chip right now."

Shoto hated that he still had to go home on the weekends.

He knew Endeavor was trying but it didn't feel like enough. It felt like a bandaid placed on a broken bone.

The dual quirk user thought the man needed to prove to the teen he didn't need to fear for his safety anymore but the kid wasn't sure how.

Things were so awkward between them right now. Shoto wasn't sure how to navigate their new relationship.

He was currently sitting in their large sitting room with Enji and it was absolutely painful.

Neither of them were speaking and the teen wanted to disappear. He hated situations like this and the older hero had no idea how to be a normal parent so they were both clueless on how to behave.

"I started therapy." Shoto felt like he'd be hit with a semi truck.

"I thought it could help." Endeavor was so uncomfortable and honestly the kid felt sort of bad for him but not enough to save the poor bastard.

He could suffer since Shoto had his entire childhood.

"I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to come with me… I've actually been going myself for a few months already." And okay this wasn't something he was ready for.

His.. Endeavor said he was serious about being a better person but to see him actually making progress in that goal was too much.

His chest felt like it was going to collapse.

"You… why?" His voice was desperate, whines bubbling up and bursting from his throat as he failed to keep himself under control.

"I'm an awful father Shoto. I know it's probably too late but I.. I want to be better not just for you but for me. I'm just so tired Shoto." He had never really heard the large man sound so exhausted. So human. It wasn't right. He was this unbreakable force but now.. his appearance was disheveled and his face was etched with more anguish than Shoto ever noticed.

Maybe he just never paid attention.

"I don't forgive you." His father hadn't apologized yet but he had to make that clear if they were going to be in a room together talking about all their issues.

"I don't want you to. I just want to stop being the source of your pain." Shoto just stared at him for awhile. He thought it would make the man squirm but it didn't. There was no reaction at all really.

The hero didn't have any fire left. It scared the teen.

Endeavor had never been a good parent but there was also something about him that didn't make him the worst human in the world in the boy's eyes.

He trained him ruthlessly and never knew how to offer him a shoulder to cry on but he did give a shit. He always went on and on about how Shoto would be the best hero in Japan one day.

He was always so proud when Shoto had gotten the hang of something in training but he just couldn't let go of his obsessions.

They had to surpass All Might. They had to be the best.

The kid had no clue why this had been so important to him but he knew there was something there that Enji was hiding. A reason why he couldn't just move on and be happy with his own success.

It didn't make his treatment of him okay but Shoto was an empath so it was always something he wished he could fix… to help his parent see the other side.

Watching The Flame Hero wither away right in front of his eyes wasn't satisfying.

No matter how awful he was… he still loved his dad. He wanted him to change but he just couldn't trust him.

He wanted to and he hoped he could one day but it would take more than a few months of therapy to earn that.

"I'll go. I might leave but I'll try." Enji gave him a weak nod in response and went back to sitting silently.

He thought they weren't going to be speaking anymore but his father spoke up once more.

"Oh… Eraserhead called and asked me if you could come with him and your classmate.. Bakugo.. to the sensory shop to get some things. I think you'd like it."

This entire interaction had thrown him for a loop.

Maybe he could talk to his teacher about it in the morning and get some advice? Katsuki had some experience too…

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough. Shoto was desperate for some insight on how to deal with this because right now he felt like a fish out of water.

Could his relationship with his father really be repaired?

The teen wasn't sure but he didn't think it was completely hopeless.

Staring up at the man who used to inspire fear within him he realized… it's possible… it's actually possible that Enji was finally ready to be the parent he'd always wanted.