Himiko, Ochako, and Izuku have a much needed talk. Katsuki is a secret shipper. And woah...when did unicorns become real?

...how did this happen again?! Now its over 10k words for this chapter, breaking my longest chapter for a multi-chapter fic record AGAIN. I cannot promise chapters of this length in the future, I just REALLY was inspired this weekend.


"...Three. Shoot!"

"Wait, I thought it was shoot on three?"

"Fuck no, it's one two three then shoot!"

"Wait, are you saying we shoot on shoot or do we shoot after shoot?"

"Shoot on shoot dammit!"

"Will you three quiet down? I don't care if you wish to wait for your friend to wake, but keep it down while I'm working!"

"...sorry Recovery Girl."
"Okay, okay, let's just try this again."

"I still think this is fucking pointless. I've known him the longest, I get first!"

"Hell no Kats, no way you're as pissed as me! You're used to this sort of idiocy, we're not!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm the one pissed off the most, he promised he'd be careful!"

"Yeah well get used to fucking disappointment when it comes to Zu and taking care of himself."

Izuku groaned as the voices filtered into his ears, echoing in his cranium with an annoying tinge of pain. He tried to move, but every nerve in his body erupted in pain, making him hiss in response and stop trying to make any sudden motions.

"Oh shit, Zu? You awake, dumbass?"

Izuku slowly opened his eyes, blinking blearily as he did so. The light was dim, so at least his eyes didn't hurt more than expected. Although the act of opening them still took much more effort than he expected. He tilted his head to where he heard the voice, seeing Katsuki with a towel draped around his shoulders and water bottle in one hand glaring down at him with deep red eyes.

"Looks like!" the overly cheerful voice of Himiko brought his attention to seeing her amber colored eyes boring into his own, her smile not matching the clear anger bubbling beneath the surface. His eyes flicked to the third member of their group, the brunette simply staring down at him with a blank expression, her arms crossed over her chest as she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Uh…hi?" Izuku managed to croak out, wincing at the dry sound of his voice and crackling in his throat.

"Oh for fucks sake," Katsuki growled. He uncapped the water bottle in his hand and shoved it in Izuku's face.

Izuku managed to sit up, aching the entire time, enough to grab the bottle and drain half of it in one go, the cool liquid soothing his sore throat. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, looking at the other three tiredly. "What were you doing that required counting to three?"

"Oh, we were just playing rock paper scissors to see who gets to hit you first for being an absolute idiot!" Himiko said, her voice dropping into a growl as she reached the last word.

"She was in danger, I had to-"

"It was a test, Midoriya. She was never in any real danger. Or do you think the staff her so incompetent that they couldn't control the testing equipment?" Recovery Girl butt in, grabbing his wrist and examining the bracelet there.

"I mean…accidents happen," he muttered in response, looking away from her.

The older woman sighed deeply. "Trying to stop the zero pointer was not required to pass the test, but I'm not mad at you for doing so. What I am upset with is that you overdid it. However, your friends have little room to talk."

Izuku blinked, looking up at the other three who suddenly seemed very interested in anything but looking at him. "Wha-what do you mean?"

"Oh, these three also all tried to stop the zero pointer and got themselves hurt in the process. They simply didn't hurt themselves as badly. So I've already given them their lectures."

Izuku went to cross his arms over his chest, forgetting the pain he was in and quitting while he was ahead. He settled for a disappointed look as he drawled "Oh how the turn tables."

"That's not how the phrase goes!" Ochako giggled.

Izuku's stern expression shifted to a mischievous grin. "There we go, got the 'Chako giggle. I win!"

"Oh stop it, I'm still mad at you!" she said, pouting as she swatted at his arm. He dodged away with a pained grin, both of them ignoring the loudly sighing Recovery Girl.

"Midoriya, you're going to need to recharge for quite some time, you realize this, yes? Your upper limit has increased from your training. A few hours in the sun won't be enough. The results won't be out for a week, so take the time and rest. Understood?"

Izuku nodded sheepishly. "Yes ma'am. Will do."

She took one more look over him, her lips pursed. "Hmm. Well. Best I can do right now, you don't have the energy for me to heal anything further. Your shoulder and arm will be sore for a while, so try to avoid anything strenuous until you're back to full functioning. The same applies to the rest of you, you all overdid it in various ways! I expect you to stay resting and recuperating for at least two days, no training!" She waited for nods from the other three, (a very reluctant one from Katsuki begrudgingly given), before nodding sharply. "Very well. Head on home."


The four had settled down back at the Bakugo residence, it now being early afternoon. Katsuki had taken one look at the awkward air surrounding the other three and said "Fuck it, you three deal with this shit, I'm gonna go get stuff for dinner," and left without waiting for a reply.

Izuku opened his mouth to protest, but he was so dead tired he didn't even bother. He just sighed and sank further into the couch, the two girls seated next to him exchanging worried glances.

"We don't have to have this talk right now, you know," Ochako said quietly. "Just 'cause Katsuki left doesn't mean we can't deal with it later."

Izuku yawned widely, but shook his head in negation. "I…I want to. I've been wanting to. But I just…I didn't want to interrupt all of our training and stuff."

Himiko nodded. "'Chako asked me to wait to say anything until after the exam. I've been waiting for this day for over a year though. We really can wait, Izu."

"Nope. I want to. Let's talk," Izuku replied. The girls nodded, but the room fell silent as neither Izuku nor Ochako seemed to know how to start the conversation. Izuku opened his mouth to speak but cut himself off, flushing slightly as he tried to puzzle out the best way to approach it. Ochako wasn't much better, her head in hands, pinkes raised, unsure how to bring up what she wanted to talk about.

"Nope!" Himiko cheerfully said, drawing the attention of the other two to her just in time for both to go cross-eyed as she booped them on their noses. "You're getting stuck in your own heads and I say no. I'll talk, you two listen."

Himiko stood up and turned to face the two of them. She knelt down before them, reaching out and taking Ochako's hand in both of her own as she turned to look into her chocolate brown eyes. "'Chako…I've been in love with you for years. You were the first person besides my dad to accept me for who I was, you never once thought of me as some sort of freak. You've given me so much more than you could ever know. I love everything about you, even the things you do that annoy the hell out of me. I have a million things to say to you still, but I need to make sure I get the basics out first…for both of you."

Ignoring the scarlet cheeked brunette who appeared to be half comatose before her, she gently released her hand and grabbed the ungloved hand of Izuku, who was staring at her wide eyed after her confession to Ochako. She gently turned his hand up, palm facing her as she trailed her fingers across the raised scar tissue and spoke even softer than she had with Ochako.

"Izu, with you, it's different. I don't know you nearly as well as 'Chako. You keep your heart closed to us in some ways and it frustrates me so much. The fact that I still don't know what it is you so hate about yourself that makes you hurt so badly. I don't know why you hurt so and I just want to reach in and help heal it and I can't. But…but that doesn't change that I do know who you are. I know the person you think you are, and I know exactly how wrong that is. Because at your core, at your heart, you're the kindest, gentlest, most heroic person I've ever met. And I adore that about you. I've fallen for you as hard as I have for Ochako, and I don't regret one second of it, no matter what we decide today."

She lifted one of her hands off his, reaching out to grab Ochako's again. She pulled them together, entangling their fingers as the two stared at her, their limbs limp and unresisting. "I'm selfish and greedy. Always have been. Always will be. I want both of you. I want you to be mine, and for me to be yours. I already have more than I ever thought I would…a great dad, you two, and I can't forget how Kats accepted me too. He's like a really annoying brother and I'm so happy I got both him and Izu in the deal…buy one awesome boy, get one for free." She giggled to herself, the laugh trailing off as her expression went soft once more.

"But I need to know what you want. I'm not gonna be mad if it's too much for either one of you, and I won't stop loving you or being your friend if you don't choose me. I'm not gonna pressure either one of you. I just wanted to lay it out, and now you two decide what you want."

Izuku seemed to be almost catatonic at first, but the blinking and how his expression shifted slightly told Himiko he was still listening. Ochako squared her shoulders, her limp hand gripping the other two tightly as she let out a shuddering breath. "You always know how to cut to the chase, huh Himi?" She didn't wait for a response beyond Himiko's soft smile. "I…I already knew how you felt. I felt the same. You know I wanted to wait and you did and I really appreciate how much you accommodated me and my needs. But yes, Himi, I've loved you this whole time too. You're so mischievous and flirty and always know just how to make me feel better about anything, no matter how down I am. How could I not fall for you, when you were just too perfect?"

She turned slightly in her seat to look at Izuku. Reaching up to his face, she pressed her hand to his cheek opposite her, keeping her pinky slightly raised as she turned him to look at her. Green met brown as she looked at him. "Himi's right about you. We're not stupid, we can guess some of it based on what you've said before and what Katsuki lets loose. But we promised we'd never ask unless you wanted us to, and we've kept to that. But gosh it's so frustrating sometimes! Every time I see you flinch from a reminder, every time I see how you go blank when the memories of whatever hurt you surface and I can't help it hurts. It hurts because I care about you, Izuku."

She takes a moment to gather her thoughts, looking down at her lap, part of her wondering what was going through his head. She jolts for a moment when she feels a squeeze of her fingers that wasn't from Himiko, looking back up at him to see his eyes clear and open, paying attention to what she said with a contemplative expression. She nodded, squaring her shoulders.

"But it doesn't change how I feel. You're so smart, and driven, and yet the sweetest boy I've ever met. You don't have to make mochi for me when I'm having a bad day yet somehow you always know. You go out of your way to make Himi comfortable with her needs, you've never been judgy and you just are the cutest when you start muttering. Although I still want to know where you hide those notebooks…" she shakes her head to clear it, deciding that wasn't important right now. "I…I'm with Himi on this. I'm not leaving you even if this isn't something you want, but I want you. I want her. I want both. I'm going to be greedy too, because this is something I want."

The two girls remained silent after Ochako's confession, waiting to see what Izuku said in response. The boy's previously shocked expression had morphed into a contemplative one they had rarely seen on him. It wasn't his studious one, the one that made you think he was picking you apart in his mind to puzzle you out. It wasn't the excited one he got when he was muttering about a new Quirk's applications. No, this one was just…passive. Calm. The only indication of his emotional state now was the slight pink in his cheeks, but even that was only partly there as he looked between the two.

"I didn't know it was possible to love someone the way I love the two of you," he said softly. "I've always loved Kacchan as a brother…Auntie and Uncle raised me and are as close to my parents as they could be. I still love my mom and dad, even though they are g-gone," he choked on the words, blinking back tears before shaking his head rapidly, continuing in the same quiet tone. "But it's different with you. Himiko, you're not a breath of fresh air, you're an entire hurricane of it, a force of nature of fun and cheer. Ochako, you're so brilliant as well, you shine so brightly when you smile it's like the sun, bright and warm and lovely. I'm so lucky, because when I see you two it's like I'm seeing two brilliant stars, shining in the sky, lighting up my world. But…" he trailed off for a minute, looking down at his lap even as he squeezed the girls hands tighter.

"I can't accept what you've said until you know what I did," he finally managed to whisper. "It's not fair to you. But-" he cut them off before either could interrupt him, raising his free hand up to ask them to wait. "That's why I decided to tell you, today. I'll tell you what I did. And if you still want me after, if you still can love me after what I've done…then I want to talk about us. Us as something more. But you have to know first. So just…let me talk, and listen, and…and yeah. Okay?"

Himiko and Ochako shared a glance, nodding to each other. Ochako squeezed back as Himiko quietly said "Okay. We're listening, Izu."


Ochako had her arms wrapped around Izuku's arm as he finished telling his story, her head buried in his shoulder as she wept quietly. Himiko was mirroring her on the other side, but instead of crying she was simply stroking Izuku's back with a soft look, her habitual smirk gone. For his part, Izuku's expression was blank, almost emotionless, but tears slowly were dripping from his eyes as he sat there staring down at his hands, letting silence fall over the room.

"I'm going to say something you don't want to hear, Izu," Himiko warned him. He tilted his head ever so slightly in her direction to acknowledge her. Himiko took a deep breath. "I agree with Katsuki. It's not your fault."

"But-" he began, but was cut off by Ochako's one hand gripping chin tightly but not painfully, squishing his cheeks and muffling his reply. She lifted her head off his shoulder, eyes blotchy from crying but a fierce expression plastered on her face.

"No. I'm sure you've made up a hundred reasons why it's your fault, but we're not hearing them. Because this is about what we think, remember? You wanted us to know before we decided, right? Well, we've decided." She glanced over at Himiko, locking eyes with the amber catlike eyes of Himiko. At the blonde's nod, she continued. "We still want this. Want you. Each other. All of us, together. That's our decision. We can go over exactly what we think later, when you're feeling better. And I swear to you I'll listen to you, even when you say stupid things like it being your fault. I'll correct you as many times as it takes, but I'll hear you out."

She loosened her grip on his face, but kept her hand on his chin as she turned him to look at her. She stroked her hand across his cheek softly. "But for now…you said you can't accept it until we know. Well, we know. We accept you. So the question now is, do you accept us?"

"No pressure, Izu. If you say no it's okay. We're still going to be here. We're not leaving. And if you need more time we can wait," Himiko added.

Izuku's eyes cleared a little, almost as though he were exiting a daze. He shook his head slowly. "N-no. I don't need time. I…still don't agree about…about what happened. I can't. Not yet. But…for us? I…I want it. If you still want me. Then yes."

A wobbly smile crossed Ochako's face as she wrapped her arms tighter around Izuku's shoulder. With grabby hands, she tried to reach around him enough to grab Himiko and pull her closer, but Izuku's broad shoulders made it difficult and she whined quietly. The blonde giggled quietly before wrapping her arms back in return, gripping Ochako's arms beneath hers. Izuku let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and lifted his arms out from under theirs, wrapping them around the shoulders of the other two. He leaned back on the couch, the two following, Ochako burying her face back in his shoulder as Himiko tucked herself into his side. She reached one of her hands out over his chest, gripping Ochako's dangling one and pulling it closer, lacing their fingers together.

"We should probably make sure we got it all laid out though," Himiko said, her eyes closed.

"What do you mean?" Izuku asked.

"Well…we're all together, right?"

Ochako nodded. "Yeah?"

"So that's polyamory. Which that can include others, or just us, or whatever. I just wanna know how you guys feel about that. Because…I mean…you know me. I kinda fall pretty fast for people," she added quietly. "N-not that I'm not happy because I am! And if this is all we want I swear I'll be more than happy! I just wanted to know what you guys thought, but if you're not okay with talking abou-"

"Himi breathe," both Ochako and Izuku said in unison, sharing a small grin as they realized what they'd done. Ochako shook her head, burying it back into Izuku's shoulder to hide her smile. Emotional moments always left her feeling drained and exhausted, and made things that really weren't funny become more amusing to her and she didn't want to make either of her new (partners? Partners) think she was mocking them.

Izuku let out a quiet hum. "I mean…I don't think I have a problem with it? I doubt I'd feel something for anyone else. I'm lucky as is just having the two of you, I'd be the luckiest man alive if I had one of you, and I get both of you so pretty sure my lucks maxed out for the rest of my life. But I won't be upset if you fall for someone Himi."

"People are hot, it's okay," Ochako said, her voice muffled in Izuku's shoulder. "I don't mind either. Same as Izu, doubt I'd find someone else, but if I did you'd be the first I tell."

"...then how about that's the rule?" Himiko asked. At the questioning hum the two gave her, she elaborated. "If one of us thinks somethings happening, or maybe someone confesses to one of us and we want to try, we tell the other two as soon as possible and decide together?"

"Seems fair," Izuku said contemplatively. Ochako gave an affirming hum, snuggling further into Izuku's shoulder. He glanced over at her as best he could without disturbing her. "You okay?"

"Mm. Just tired. Today was a lot. And now I'm happy and warm and cozy but still tired."

Himiko snuggled further into Izuku's side, her eyes still closed. She gripped the back of his shirt with her free hand. "Nap does sound good."

Izuku smiled down at the two of them, a yawn escaping him unwillingly. "Not a bad idea." He leaned his head back against the couch, relaxing his shoulders and letting the exhaustion of the day catch up to him, drifting off quickly.

Minutes later, Katsuki's head appeared from around the door to the kitchen, having snuck into the house from the back door ten minutes ago because he hadn't wanted to interrupt. Glancing at the three snuggled on the couch, he didn't bother hiding the pleased smirk on his face. He turned back to the kitchen to finish putting away what groceries he'd picked up. He'd work on dinner later, he didn't want to wake them. Plus they weren't wrong about a nap sounding good, since he was also exhausted from the test.

After he finished putting everything away, he checked once more on the three in the living room. Standing over his brother and likely one day his future sisters, he shook his head with a smile on his face. He grabbed the nearest throw blanket his mom kept around and laid it gently over them. Stifling his own yawn, he plodded off to his room. Not bothering to change out of the clothes he'd gotten into once he got home, he flopped onto his bed and set an alarm on his phone for two hours hence. A nice nap but not enough to throw off his sleep schedule, and still enough time to make dinner before it got too late. After setting the phone down, he let go of consciousness, taking to dreamland with his friends (family).


Five days later, the quartet of Izuku, Ochako, Katsuki, and Himiko were strolling down the street, trying to distract themselves from the tension of waiting for the results. Toshinori had informed them he'd been gone all week handling hero business, so the four of them really had no one to speak to about it. And Izuku was still on enforced 'recharge' mode, even though he'd managed to get back up to over eighty percent. Strangely, he felt like it was taking longer to fully recharge for some reason, even when he risked going out into the sun shirtless to have more surface area. But he dismissed it for now, figuring it was probably just a figment of his imagination. If it was an issue, it'd come up in his next checkup so long as he was careful.

So instead, the four of them had decided to hit the town up and wander the streets to look for something, anything, to distract them. There had been a short discussion back at the house, where Katsuki had said he was fine doing his own thing if they wanted to go on a date but the other three had insisted against that. Their relationship was still new, and Izuku's nerves were still getting used to the idea. So he preferred not doing anything overly date-like yet.

Plus, though none of them said it, they knew Katsuki was lonely. Ever since Tsubasa had vanished, he'd never quite been able to hide the fact that it hurt that his only friend besides Izuku (who was more family than friend), had just…gone. The three of them getting together would change things, all four of them knew it, but the three who were together now still did not want to lose what they had with the grumpy blonde. They also wanted to avoid making him feel like a fourth wheel, so Himiko kept her habitual overly close PDA under wraps while out, just her normal levels of touchiness and flirting.

As the four passed an alleyway a few blocks away from the city center, Izuku and Katsuki had just started another debate about the best pre-Quirk power ballads when a tiny body slammed full force into Izuku's legs. He was unmoved by it, but the figure fell to the ground with a quiet cry. Izuku dropped to one knee immediately, Ochako following him as Himiko bent over to check on the figure. Katsuki looked down at the figure, eyebrow arched.

Izuku blinked at the dirty tan dress, the long, tangled white hair, the bare feet, the bandaged arms and legs, and the tiny horn poking out from the right side of her head. Every alarm bell in his mind was set off by this, and he spoke as quietly as possible as he held his hand out to her. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going. Are you alright?"

The small child looked up at him with fear filled red eyes, her head snapping back to look behind her in a hurry, staring down the dark alleyway as if she feared it would reach out and swallow her whole. She hurriedly clambered to her feet, ignoring his hand, and rushed towards him, latching her arms around his waist in what he recognized as sheer panic. "P-p-please, please don't let him find me, please don't let him, please please please."

From the moment the others saw her, each of them had reacted differently. Himiko began looking around behind them, both looking for possible help and if anyone was watching them who shouldn't be. Ochako's eyes went wide at first as she saw the bandages, before her face settled into a determined twitch as she reached into her pockets to see if she had anything to help. Katsuki had uncrossed his arms and as soon as he saw her look behind her, he'd taken a step beyond them to stand between her and the alleyway as she clutched onto Izuku, his red eyes scanning the dark alleyway carefully, hands held open at his sides.

"From who? Who do we need to keep you from?" Izuku kept his tone calm and quiet, trying to keep her from panicking more. She huddled closer into his chest, the horn digging itself into his chest. He avoided showing any sign of discomfort, simply allowing her to hold on.

"C-C-Chisaki. Please, don't let him, please…"

"Okay little one, let's go find a nice police officer and-"

"No!" she shouted in fear, almost leaping out of his arms. She shakes her head violently, her entire body shaking with her as she looks at him pleadingly. "No, no, Chisaki has them, he has them!" She fisted her hands in her hair, squeezing her eyes shut as she shimmied frantically in place.

Izuku tried to calm her down by asking her name. "Okay little one, what's your name? I'm Izuku, and these are my friends Katsuki, Himiko, and Ochako."

"I-I'm Eri. And the police always take me back when I get out, please, I can't go back!"

"I think she's trying to say whoever this is has an in with the police," Himiko whispered to Izuku, having turned back to look at the duo when the little girl shouted.

"What else can we do though?" he returned quietly, trying to reassure Eril at the same time. "We can't just run off with a runaway."

"We can't ask Toshinori, he's busy, but what about Nighteye? He might know what to do," Ochako said, her eyes having followed Katsuki down the alleyway. Something about it felt off, as if they were being watched. She took a step to stand beside the blonde, flexing her fingers.

"You feel it too, Cheeks?" Katsuki asked her quietly. She nodded, eyes narrowed.

"Let's get out of here and make the call to Sir. We'll work something out," Izuku said to the other three. He looked down at the little girl, her eyes having gone disturbingly blank, almost as if she was going catatonic, something Izuku was far too used to. He held his arms out wider and spoke in as soft and reassuring a voice as he could. "Eri, will you come with us? We won't call the police, okay? We'll keep you safe."

She said nothing, but walked forward almost absently into his arms, allowing him to lift her up with little effort. Adjusting her so she was fully encapsulated in his arms, he took a step backwards from the alleyway, feeling the same pressure of eyes on them the others had noticed. Carefully, he stepped back and back and back, whispering to the others to come. Himiko stood at his side, guiding him back carefully. Ochako went next, keeping her eyes behind her as she turned around. Katsuki waited until the others had reached the street, ignoring the hissed calls from Izuku until he could glance back and see them at the street from the corner of his eyes. He walked slowly backwards until they were as far from the dark alley as they could be, and they began walking quickly down the sidewalk towards the busier area of town.


"Are you kidding me?" The annoyed growl of Sir Nighteye echoed out of the phone, Ochako wincing as she held it away from her ear. The quartet had found a small outdoor cafe and sat down at the table closest to the street, Himiko running in to grab some snacks for the girl. Katsuki didn't take a seat, leaning against the railing and looking back at the way they had come from. The little girl had yet to let go of Izuku, so that left Ochako to make the phone call and explain, and Nighteye was not pleased.

"You four kidnapped a child!? I swear, are you trying to ruin your careers before they begin?"

"We didn't! She's hurt and begged us to keep her safe from someone!"

"Then why didn't you take her to the police?!"

Ochako huffed, turning away from the others and taking a few steps away to make sure she could speak quietly. "She panicked the moment we mentioned them, said that the guy who had her 'had them'. We think she means he had some sort of help from an officer or something."

"And you can trust her word on this? How old is she?"

"Well, she didn't tell us, but she's small. Really small. I'd guess…four? Five? Somewhere around there." Ochako could practically see the facepalm Sir Nighteye must have been making.

"And you never thought perhaps she was wrong, or exaggerating? Did she even say who it was who was supposedly hurting her?"

"Yeah, someone named…um…shit. Izu!" She turned from the phone to call back to Izuku, the greenette murmuring sweet soothing words to the girl in his lap, absently stroking her hair as she shuddered and shivered in his arms. He looked up at her, keeping his hand moving softly. "What'd she say the guy's name was again?"

Izuku looked pained at the question, glancing down at Eri with a significant look as if to say he didn't want to panic her by saying it out loud. Katsuki stepped over to Ochako and grabbed the phone, quietly growling into it. "She called the fuckward 'Chisaki'. Dunno if it's a first or last-"

"...what?" Nighteyes whispered voice cut Katsuki off. "Did you say Chisaki? Kai Chisaki?!"

"Uh…well, she didn't say anything about a Kai," Katsuki paused as the little girl whimpered when he said that. He clenched his free fist and turned back to the phone. "...okay, yeah, that sounded like confirmation."

"...fuck," the sound of Nighteye cursing made both Katsuki and Ochako's eyes go wide in shock, the two of them sharing a significant look. Their attention was drawn back to the phone. "Where are you? Right now, location."

"We're at a cafe. Himi just ran in to get something for the kid, she's all skin and bones."

"Get Himiko, and make your way to UA. Now. Take the girl. Do not stop, do not let anyone stop you, do not get distracted. I'll call ahead and let them know."

"Sir, what's going on?" Ochako cut in, grabbing her phone out of Katsuki's slack grip. Worry swam in her eyes as she glanced back at the interior of the cafe, seeing Himiko just finishing up at the counter.

"I don't have time to explain. Kai Chisaki is a very dangerous man, and if she's on the run from him it puts you in danger for encountering her. Do as I say and go to UA as quickly as you can. I will make my way there as soon as I can. There is no further time. If you see anyone with a bird mask, run towards the nearest hero. Now, go!" the line cut off, Nighteye's command echoing in the air as Ochako and Katsuki shared another glance. They glanced back to the table, seeing Izuku looking back at them with a seeking glance, just as Himiko came out of the cafe with a small box of pastries and a cup carrier with a few drinks in it.

"Cheeks, help Fangs carry the food. Zu, Nighteye says we go to UA asap, no dawdling. If we see anyone with a bird mask, that's bad. Says run to a fucking hero. If there ain't one around, you guys rabbit. I'll hold the fucker off if it comes to that."

"Shut up Katsuki, don't even say that," Ochako glared at him. "Most of that's true, except him running off. No one splits off, we stick together. We're not far from UA, let's just go."

Katsuki didn't bother replying to Ochako, knowing that if it came down to it, he wasn't about to just run away while some bastard tried to chase his friends and that little girl. He'd blow the fucker up for even thinking about it if he had to. But for now he'd follow along.


For all the fear that Sir Nighteye had instilled in them with his cryptic messages, the four teens and one small child made it to UA without issue. As they approached the gate, they were greeted by a tall, slouching man with bedraggled looks and rumpled clothing. His black hair looked as tangled as the little girls, and his eyes were narrowed slits as he looked at them.

"Of course it's you four. I should have known," he drawled. "Well, no reason to wait. Come in. We're going to Recovery Girl."

The little girl in Izuku's arms, who had steadfastly made no noise since they'd picked her up, tugged lightly at his shirt. Izuku looked down at her, seeing her having looked up with wide, red eyes, fear still swirling within them. He spoke softly to her as he followed, ignoring how the other three were watching him carefully. "What's up Eri?"

"I-Is he safe? He's not with Chisaki, is he?"

"Oh no sweetie, of course not. He's a hero named Eraserhead, he's-"

"How the hell did you know that, kid?" the black-haired man said, narrowing his eyes.

Izuku flushed, wanting to rub at the back of his head but not able to let go of Eri in his arms. "W-Well, I'm just guessing but everyone we've met so far was a hero. I didn't think you'd just be some random person. And when I looked at your Quirk, I saw it was focused in your eyes but had a negative feeling to it, so I just put the two together and when I guessed Erasure it shifted colors. I know about your Quirk because I'm a huge fan, I've kept up with what little there is about you! You have one of the best crime solving rates in the country, and are top of the underground heroes as far as I can tell with the basic math I've applied to-"

"Izuku, breathe!" Katsuki sighed, rolling his eyes as Izuku had devolved into muttering halfway through.

Eraserhead blinked at him, trying to process what he'd said before letting out a long-suffering sigh. "It's Aizawa when out of uniform, kid. That goes for the lot of you. You can explain what you meant by seeing my Quirk later. For now, let's get you to the old lady."


Eri had been getting steadily more and more nervous in Izuku's arms as they walked towards the nurses office. But once she saw Recovery Girl, she screamed in terror. Her horn began to crackle and glow, making the others around her panic. But Aizawa reacted swiftly, his eyes flaring red and hair raising up, cutting off the yellow lightning pouring out of her horn before it had even been five seconds. His hair fell back down a moment later, the red leaking out of his eyes as he looked at the suddenly calmed child. Eri's scream cut short as she stared at him in awe, eyes wide and shimmering with tears.

"Y-y-you stopped my, my curse!" she sobbed out, still staring at Aizawa.

He arched an eyebrow at her, a significant look exchanged with Recovery Girl. She stepped away for a moment, picking up her phone and making a swift call the others couldn't hear. She came back around the corner with no lab coat and a different cane, this one with no adornments, and smiled softly at the little girl. "Why don't we do the examination in the lounge? It will be more comfortable there."

Left unsaid was that both her and Aizawa had a sneaking suspicion they knew why she panicked at the sight of her in her lab coat and syringe cane. But they didn't think they could go into that right now, not when the girl was still shivering.

The group made their way to the lounge, Izuku sitting down on the couch in the center so Recovery Girl could look her over carefully. Though Eri was hesitant, the soft encouragement from Izuku and Himiko made her allow it. She flinched multiple times, every time Recovery Girl gently touched the bandages or her horn, but bravely didn't stop her from moving.

Aizawa crossed his arms over his chest as Recovery Girl stepped away to write some things down on the notepad she'd brought with her. "Curse, you say?"

"Uh-huh. I m-made my daddy disappear. Mommy left me because she said I was a c-cursed child. Chisaki says he can fix everyone's curses with me."

"Eri sweetie, is there any chance you'd be okay with one of my friends holding you for a moment?" Izuku interjected, his smile wide and tone soothing. She looked at him with a bit of fear in her eyes, but meekly looked over the other three teens. She pointed at Ochako, ducking her head back into his chest when the brunette looked shocked.

"O-of course, I'll be happy to do it!" Ochako said, her smile mirroring Izuku's. Himiko cooed at her as Katsuki rolled his eyes, a smirk quirking the corner of her lips up. Izuku carefully passed Eri to the gentle arms of Ochako, still smiling as he turned back to Recovery Girl. He stepped over to her and bent over to speak quietly, not flinching as Aizawa leaned back to hear him.

"Her Quirk signature is…really messed up, Recovery Girl. I've never seen something like that."

Recovery Girl hummed to herself and cocked an eyebrow at him. "How so?"

Izuku paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain. "So…like, when I see them, the energy is always continuous. Like, there are certain parts of people that glow much brighter, like Eras-uh, Mr. Aizawa's is mostly in his eyes. But Quirk's are all over a body, so it's always the entire body, just certain parts are much brighter. And it's always connected."

"Are you trying to say she's not?" Aizawa asked. He wasn't entirely sure what the green-haired boy was talking about, but he was able to pick up context clues.

Izuku shook his head. "It's like someone took a knife to it and cut it into a hundred pieces. It's still there, but it's broken. It's not one connected energy, it's a bunch of smaller ones that look brittle and smoldering. Like they are going to either fade away entirely or explode."

Further conversation was interrupted by a loud, angry snarl from Katsuki as Himiko hissed. The three spun about to see Katsuki's hands popping, his mouth moving like he was biting his tongue to avoid saying anything. Himiko had turned away from Eri, clenching her fists repeatedly. Ochako was still smiling, but Izuku could see how brittle it had gotten, the angry gleam in her eyes as Eri was looking around worriedly.

"I just asked Eri how Chisaki would fix the curses with her. Eri dear, could you repeat to the others what you just told us?" Ochako asked sweetly, gently rubbing Eri's back.

The little girl in her lap nodded. "C-Chisaki used to t-take my blood with knives and needles, he s-said he needed it to fix curses. A-and when I'd get really sleepy and tired, he'd break me and fix me to make me less sleepy."

"Does anyone know what she means by that?" Katsuki managed to growl out, looking over at Aizawa and Recovery Girl.

Aizawa looked over at the small child who had ducked her head back into Ochako's chest. He took a deep breath. "According to Sir Nighteye, Kai Chisaki's Quirk is called 'Overhaul'. It allows him to deconstruct and reconstruct matter with a touch."

Silence fell over the room as the four teens followed what he said, horror dawning on the face of Ochako and Himiko as the pops in Katsuki's hands began to flicker faster. Izuku's head was dropped to his chest, looking at the floor and refusing to meet anyone's gaze.

"I-I'm sorry," Eri whimpered. "I d-didn't want to m-make anyone mad."

Katsuki clenched his fists, cutting off the explosions. He chewed on his lip for a moment before stepping to the couch, dropping to one knee before Ochako and Eri. "It isn't you I'm pissed at kiddo. You did nothing wrong."

"B-but my curse-"

"No such thing, Eri. No Quirk is a curse," Himiko interjected, having sat down on the couch next to Ochako. Eri looked at her in disbelief, before the attention seemed to be too much and she snuggled into Ochako further.

Katsuki gave the little girl a sharp nod and looked up at the teachers in the room, his eyes falling on the almost statue-like form of Izuku, head bowed, hands limp at his sides. "Izuku," he called, waiting for the slight twitch of Izuku's shoulders to show he was listening before continuing. "Not now. Later. Now's not the time."

The eyes of the others in the room turned to look at Izuku, seeing his shoulders lift up as they heard him take a deep, bracing breath. He lifted his head, his eyes blank and expression flat. He let out the breath slowly, blinking as he did. He looked back at Katsuki. "You're right. Later."

Himiko leaned over to Katsuki and whispered quietly "What's that about?"

Katsuki spoke back out of the corner of his mouth. "I'll explain later." Himiko nodded, accepting the response.

Recovery Girl pulled a lollipop out of her pocket and held it out towards Eri. "You've been a lovely little girl, why don't you have one of these?"

Eri looked back at it, confused. She tilted her head to the side. "What's that?"

Ochako was visibly struggling not to react while Eri was in her arms. Her face twisted like she'd just tasted something particularly sour, but she shifted it back into a smile as Eri turned to look at her for her opinion. "It's candy, Eri."

"Oh. What's candy?"

"Food, it's very sweet and tasty. Why don't you try it? You just suck on it over time." She accepted a lollipop from Recovery Girl as well, sliding the plastic off and shoving it in her mouth. "See?"

Eri cautiously took the candy from the older woman's hand, struggling for a moment with the plastic before Ochako helped her remove it. She carefully stuck it in her mouth the way Ochako did, experimentally tasting it the same way. Her eyes lit up as she continued, making a humming noise of happiness. Some of the tension left the room at her sounds of joy, a tiny smile making its way to Himiko's face, Katsuki's expression becoming less severe.

Aizawa's text ringtone rang out, the man looking down at it and reading something for a moment. His face twisted for a moment, before shifting back to placidity. "That was the rat. Nighteye got held up by an emergency call and won't be able to make it here, but he sent his files over. Is the girl okay to come with us Chiyo?"

Recovery Girl shook her head. "No, I don't think it's a good time yet. I would like to run a few more tests if Eri can handle them. Can you be a brave little girl and put up with just a few more? I promise you it won't hurt."

Eri looked up at Ochako and then back to Izuku, then over at the two blondes who stood protectively behind her. "C-can they come with me?"

"Hmm. I think that's fine, but one of them needs to come with me to speak to Nezu. We need your statement on what happened."

"I'll do it," Izuku said quietly. Though he had lifted his head and was looking at them, it felt like he wasn't entirely there. Aizawa did not know the boy, but it wasn't hard to tell he was not okay right now. But…well, he doubted any of the kids were. Might as well take the one who volunteered.

"You sure Izu? Me or Kats can go, I think 'Chako has Eri all set up."

Izuku shook his head slowly. "I can handle it. Thank you. Kacchan?"

"Yeah?"

"When we get home…spar?"

Katsuki nodded his head. "Yep."

"Okay. Mr. Aizawa, would you lead the way? I don't quite remember it."

"Sure thing kid. Let's go."

Izuku stepped over to the couch and knelt down, slowly reaching out and gently laying his hand on Eri's arm. "I'll be back in just a little bit, Eri. Okay?"

"Mmmhmm," Eri said around the mouthful of candy, nodding. Izuku gave her a brittle smile, standing up and following Aizawa to the door, not meeting Himiko or Ochako's eyes.

"Can you explain now, Kats?" Himiko asked quietly, the two blondes staying far enough away from Eri as Recovery Girl checked a few more things with what she had on hand.

Katsuki ran his hand through his hair, mussing it up. "There's a quote from an old, pre-Quirk book. It goes 'There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in a storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man'. Well…Izuku's your gentle man in this scenario."

"...I have no idea what you're talking about."

Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Look, you know how I got a fucking temper problem and had to take anger management and shit? Yeah, Izuku did too. He's just got a better handle on it. Which is why when he gets pissed, he goes cold. Analytical. He doesn't normally go feral like my dumbass does."

"That implies he does go feral sometimes," she pointed out.

Katsuki said nothing for a good minute, crossing his arms over his chest and staring into the distance. After a little bit, he let out a tch noise. "Just hope you're not around when he does."


"Hmm, I see, I see. Well, I can understand why you acted as you did, although it certainly skirted the letter of the law. Now, you say you saw no one witness you leave with her?" Nezu said, taking another sip of tea.

Izuku shook his head, his voice quiet and flat. "No. But Kacchan and Ochako both said they felt like something was watching us."

"Concerning. Hmm. I received a communication from our counselor, Hound Dog, while we were going over your story. He's spoken to Eri for a few minutes and it is clear she's already somewhat latched onto you and your friends. Likely she's associated you with her freedom."

"Is that bad?" Izuku asked.

"Not necessarily. Well, to clarify, it isn't healthy for her, but for now it's alright. We can work on creating a less unhealthy bond over time. But the now is the issue."

Izuku seemed to have some small amount of life breathed into him at this time, tilting his head to the side. "What do we do then?"

Nezu steepled his fingers before his face, his claws tapping against each other with quiet clicks as he leaned forward on his desk. "Well…truth be told, I'd like to keep Eri here. Aizawa's ability to stop her Quirk, whatever it does, seems essential. And both Recovery Girl and Hound Dog will be instrumental in her recovery I believe, especially considering the threat that Chisaki shows. I have reviewed Nighteye's files and find myself…concerned. The implication I have gotten is that she was experimented upon, and as any teacher here would inform you, I have particularly…strong…feelings about such actions."

Aizawa flinched, clueing Izuku to exactly how strong the Headmaster's feelings must be to make Aizawa react in what looked like genuine fear. Nezu continued, his black eyes glittering as he spoke. "However, we run into the issue that she seems determined to stay by you and your friend's side. But I believe there is a simple solution to this conundrum."

"That is?" Izuku asked, confused.

Nezu grinned widely. "Well, you see Midoriya…we already finished the scoring for the exam. And while you will still be receiving a proper acceptance letter shortly, it is my honor to inform you that you, and your compatriots, all passed the exam with shining colors. In fact…" Nezu gestured behind himself, where a cleverly hidden screen flickered on, showing a scoreboard.


1st Place: Izuku Midoriya

Villain Points: 68

Rescue Points: 80

Total Score: 148


2nd Place: Bakugo Katsuki

Villain Points: 77

Rescue Points: 60

Total Score: 137


3rd Place: Ochako Uraraka

Villain Points: 66

Rescue Points: 70

Total Score: 136


4th Place: Himiko Toga

Villain Points: 70

Rescue Points: 65

Total Score: 135


"As you can see, the four of you did exceptionally. In fact, you surpassed All Might's previous record score of 145! And your friends managed to beat everyone but All Might's score, giving them the records for third, fourth, and fifth places! So as you can see, you have all been accepted."

Izuku stared at the screen in shock, blinking rapidly in shock. He couldn't believe it. He'd taken first place? Beaten All Might's record? What…what? But he'd just been running around like everyone else, how was this possible? It didn't make any sense! And what in the world were rescue points?!

"It makes perfect sense. You see, being a hero is far more than just beating villains. That's why we have rescue points, points awarded for helping other examinees. And this year, for helping the staged 'victims' we had placed. The children you and your friends helped rescue? They are professional actors hero schools hire for examinations and rescue training. Not to mention your bravery in helping Miss Hagakure," Nezu replied to what Izuku belatedly realized he'd been saying out loud. The name made him remember the fight against the zero pointer and he suddenly had to ask.

"Was that the girl with the invisibility Quirk? Is she okay?" he asked, realizing he'd never checked back in on her. Internally he berated himself for not making sure she was okay, much less the other two boys who helped him save her.

"She's doing fine, Midoriya. As are the others who helped," Aizawa said.

Izuku leaned back in his chair, letting his shoulders relax a tiny bit. "Oh good. I completely forgot to check up on her. So stupid," he muttered the last part to himself, still upset he hadn't checked.

"We're going to have to work on that self-flagellation of yours at some point," Aizawa sighed, but didn't respond to the questioning look Izuku shot at him. "Either way, you four made it in. So what's the plan then, Nezu?"

Nezu picked up his tea and sipped at it. "Well, I think the most prudent thing would be to have them move into the dorms early. We'll have Cemontoss set aside a room for young Eri, and simply place the four of the young adults in the same dormitory building. This way she's with her rescuers as well as in the same building as you."

"Wait, what?" Izuku asked, looking over at Aizawa, confused. The hero sighed.

"I'm the homeroom teacher for Class 1-A, which means Nezu intends on throwing you into my class."

"Right you are, Aizawa!"

"I resign."

"Denied."

"Dammit. Fine. I want a raise."

"Granted."

"I'm still going to treat the four of them as any other student, you do understand this? If they can't hack it, they aren't staying."

Nezu smiled over the rim of his teacup. "Oh, I know. But I'm not worried."

"Um…what's going on?" Izuku asked, somewhat confused by the back and forth between the two.

Aizawa waved his concerns away lazily. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Problem Child."

"Of course, we need your parents' permission, and we still need to discuss it with the other three. However, the most important question is…are you okay with this?"

Izuku jolted in his seat, eyes wide again at the question. "What do you mean?"

Nezu set his cup down carefully and clasped his hands together, looking directly into Izuku's eyes. "We are asking much of you. Eri is not someone you should be responsible for, and it was only unfortunate timing she latched onto you. We would not think less of you if you feel that it's unfair to be responsible for her safety and happiness after only a few hours of knowing her. We can figure out a way to manage her safety without you, if this is something you think would cause you undue stress."

"Headmaster…that's not even a question. I'll do anything to help her and keep her safe," Izuku replied, the most emotion filtered into his voice since he'd entered the office.

Nezu chuckled to himself as Aizawa's eyes narrowed at the greenette. "I thought you might say that. But you won't be in the dorms for long without the others. The move-in date is next week anyways, so you'll only be in there for a few days before the rest of your class arrives. So you'll have time to settle. Let's return to the teachers lounge and discuss it with your friends and little Eri and be sure everyone is alright with this solution."


"Moving in early? I mean…yeah, that's fine with us," Himiko said, getting the nod of agreement from Ochako.

"Mom and Pop won't mind us moving in early either I'm sure. Hell, they'll probably be happy we're not breaking shit at home," Katsuki drawled.

"I'm not opposed to watching Eri, but…um…I don't know how?" Ochako said quietly, Eri having been passed back to Izuku's arms as Nezu spoke to the other three teens.

"Oh we won't be asking you to watch her alone. You have classes to go to after all. We just want you around to help reassure her she's safe, as it seems she's decided you four are what keep her safe. It's a form of trauma bonding. We'll be working to ease her from it to a healthier place, but at the start she merely needs to know you are there for her," Nezu assured her.

"I'll be doing sessions with her as often as she's comfortable," the furred face of Hound Dog spoke calmly, his gruff tone belied by his friendly demeanor. "And like all students, you're more than welcome to make an appointment with me as well. I'm here for everyone."

"UA staff will be doing most of the work to keep her safe. An unknown, powerful Quirk is one we must keep an eye on, plus Nighteye's reports imply that she is very important to the villain Kai Chisaki. But more than that…we would not allow a small abused child to continue to be abused if we have the opportunity to protect her. We merely ask for your assistance with her."

"Of course!" Ochako replied instantly. She was all for helping, she just was worried she'd mess something up. Wasn't like she knew how to deal with a traumatized five year old…she could barely deal with a traumatized seventeen year old who happened to be her boyfriend.

"Zu said he saw our scores. Can we see them?" Katsuki asked, changing the subject.

"Of course! I thought you might ask, so I brought your scorecards with me!" Nezu grinned, handing a piece of paper over to Katsuki who cursed under his breath.

"Second? Dammit. Zu beat me on this one. Whatever, I'll get him next time," Katsuki muttered as he handed the paper over to Himiko who grinned widely at it.

"Fuck yeah! We kept our promise to Toshi!"

"Wait, we did?" Ochako stepped up behind her girlfriend to peer over her shoulder, looking at Himiko pointing to the numbers by their names. Ochako's eyes widened and she shimmied happily in place, squeeing quietly.

"As I told Midoriya, he beat All Might's old record of 145. While the rest of you did not, you did beat the next best record of 131 held by Endeavor. You've truly made your mark at the exam. I'll be expecting much from you now that we've seen what you can do," Nezu said, his teeth bared in a grin that was somehow both reassuring and somewhat terrifying.

Recovery Girl called Nezu and Hound Dog over to discuss something, the two of them taking their leave and leaving the three teens together. Himiko hummed to herself for a moment, before turning to Katsuki. "Could you take Eri from Izu for a bit? We wanna check on him."

Katsuki blinked at her for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, if she's okay with it. Good luck with him though, he's fucking stubborn."

"Are you okay?" Ochako asked quietly. She knew how he felt about people asking him about his feelings, but he seemed calm enough to understand she was just checking on her friend.

Katsuki didn't reply for a good thirty seconds, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared off into the distance. He let out a 'tch' sound. "I'm fucking pissed is what I am. We finally got ourselves into a good spot, you three were doing good, Zu was happy, and we got into UA, but some fucking villain has to be abusing this kid and I swear to every fucking god if I find him he's dead."

His growled statement was met with silence for a moment, before Himiko put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. She knew he wasn't a fan of comfort, so she just wanted to show him she understood. His shoulders slumped slightly as if all the fight had drained out of him, letting out a sigh. He uncrossed his arms and ran one hand through his hair, tugging at it softly.

"But what about you?" Ochako asked. He looked at her blankly, like he didn't understand the question. "You spoke about us three, about Izuku being happy, and the kid, but not about how you were feeling."

Katsuki shrugged. "It's not some big deal. I was happy too. Now I'm pissed. I'll get over it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'll be fine, Cheeks. I promise. I'm no idiot like Zu, I'm not gonna lie. I'm pissed but I'll manage it. Check on the nerd, I'm gonna watch the kid. Hey, Zu, pass her over, it's my turn to pet the unicorn!" He ended the last part with a raised voice, smirking at the confusion on Izuku's face as he strode over to the couch.

There was some small concern with Izuku that Eri wouldn't take as well to Katsuki, considering his relatively gruff nature compared to the other three, but apparently his clear annoyance at everything but her put her at ease. As well as the sweet scent he was always surrounded with due to his Quirk helped relax her, so Izuku was happy enough to step over to his girlfriends and finally, finally, let his shoulders drop just a bit, tension bleeding out of his form.

"You okay? And don't lie to us," Himiko asked, reaching down and taking Izuku's left hand in her own.

Izuku sighs, his shoulders slumping further as he leans against Himiko bonelessly. Ochako steps closer and wraps one arm around his shoulder, the other around Himiko's, and hugs them both tightly. "I'm just…tired," Izuku mutters.

"You seemed pretty upset earlier," Ochako replied.

"I was. I am. I'm exhausted and angry and sad and just…tired. Every time I see how her Quirk is, how…broken…it is, I can't…I can't concentrate. What must she have gone through? She's just a child. I…I want to fucking kill that bastard for what he did. If I ever get ahold of him, he will regret it."
"And here we are given the reminder that you and Kats are definitely related," Himiko murmured to herself.

"I feel safe saying we all feel the same, Izu," Ochako replied to him instead, gently swatting Himiko's shoulder for her commentary. Himiko rolled her eyes, leaning further into the hug.

"I just want to go home and sleep," he whispered, his voice so quiet they could barely hear it over the conversations the others were having.

"We will, in just a little bit I'm sure. We'll just have to figure out the stuff for the whole moving-in thing," Ochako tried to reassure him. He gave her a look, eyes half-lidded from emotional exhaustion and face pale and blotchy. She smiled softly at him and, daringly, kissed his forehead. "It'll be okay, Izu. We can handle this."