The next morning, Izuku walked into the new kitchen to find his mother standing over a pan on the stove, humming softly while his father stood beside her chopping something.

As if having eyes on the back of his head, Hisashi paused in his task and turned to glance at the boy over his shoulder, his face crinkling into a smile. "Good morning, son."

"Izuku!" Inko turned away from the pan with a happy smile, holding open her arms. "Did you sleep okay?"

"It was alright," he admitted, stepping forward to hug her tight. "Are you feeling better?"

"Well enough to cook breakfast," she answered with a fond pat to his cheek as he pulled back. "Where's Tomura?"

"I dunno."

"He's likely still asleep," Hisashi provided. "I don't hear him moving about yet."

"Alright." Inko nodded once to herself before brightening. "Oh, would you like something to drink? Water, milk…?"

"I don't need anything," Izuku replied with a shrug. "I just got back from my run."

Hisashi sighed heavily, a disappointed tone to his voice as he gently reprimanded, "Son, you know I've told you not to walk around the neighborhood by yourself yet. We just got your mother back."

"Oh, Hisashi, he's old enough," to both of their surprise, Inko countered with a disapproving frown. "My boy can handle himself in a quiet neighborhood like this. Didn't you yourself tell me that this was the safest place you could find?"

The man was silent for a few seconds, the sizzling of the food filling in the lull in conversation. Finally, he nodded. "I did say that, but I was thinking about you. You're still ill from what you went through; I didn't want anyone else to go getting ideas."

Izuku looked from parent to parent quietly, watching as his mother stood with a firmness to her stance that he hadn't seen in more than a week. To some extent, it was relieving to see her usual stubbornness return.

On the other hand, he knew exactly what his father was capable of. The cold look in his crimson eyes when he'd heard from Tomura about the scumbag that kidnapped the matriarch was a grim reminder of just how much of All For One still lived.

He wouldn't, would he? He thought with an unconscious clenching of his fists. He could feel the static pulses of One For All stirring within him the more he thought of it. He wouldn't dare. That's my mom. That's his wife.

"While I appreciate how much you worry for me, I don't want to stifle Izuku's good habits while we're still adjusting," she countered. "You don't know how much hell I went through raising him alone. You can't know how much having a proper mentor has changed him for the better. I won't be able to forgive you if you keep him from exercising his power."

At the mention of the elusive Quirk, Hisashi's eyes flickered towards those of his son. Red met green, and Izuku felt his own narrow slightly. Judging by the look in his father's eyes, he could feel One For All within him. As much as it terrified him… he felt a rebellious flash of indignance well up within, and just to punctuate her words, he let another pulse of energy swell and fall.

His father merely sighed once more, shaking his head in an almost condescending manner. "Inko, honey, I don't doubt that our son can fend for himself now. But you must understand, there are still those who want to take that power for themselves."

"Like you?" His voice escaped before he could even think about it.

It seemed to startle his mother, and even his father looked over with surprise in his face.

The kitchen was silent for several long moments, save for the sizzling food in the pan on the stove.

Hisashi's face was nearly unreadable, his bewildered eyes trained on him. He could almost hear his voice: I didn't raise you to be this insubordinate.

It made a sick sense of pride well up in his chest. Well, Father, you never raised me at all.

"Izuku," he began quietly, but before he could say anything more, Inko cut him off.

"Sweetheart, while I appreciate that you're taking my side in this," her voice was gentle and slow, and despite the slightly pained look on her face he could feel the tenderness she reserved for him and only him, "I really don't want any more fights about your father's… activities, in this house."

She looked from boy to man sternly. "That goes for both of you. I don't want to hear about All For One's dealings, and I don't want to hear about anyone planning to kidnap my child."

"Yes, Mom," Izuku capitulated, bowing his head.

Hisashi didn't buckle, at least not at first. He continued to look into his wife's stern gaze for several more moments.

"Hisashi?" Her voice was quiet, yet she was firm. "Can you agree to that?"

Deep down, he wondered about the irony of the world's most fearsome villain being properly scolded by his own wife - a fretful woman no taller than Toga Himiko, a seventeen-year-old girl.

Finally, he nodded. "Of course. Sorry to burden you, dear."

She seemed satisfied with that, and her stern face softened as she turned back to the pan and flipped her eggs. "Good."

The man watched her work for a few seconds more before silently going back to the chopping board.

Surprise bloomed in his chest at his mother's stance. For as long as he'd known her, she was quick to fall to the whims of others - what had changed?

"Oh, yes, before I forget to mention it," she spoke up again, breaking the uneasy silence, "I would like to invite the League over to properly thank them for helping to rescue me."

Both of them took a long pause.

Hisashi recovered first, turning and giving her a smile. "Ah, is that so? I can have that arranged. What day would you like?"

"Hold on, hold on," Izuku interrupted, waving his hands in shock. "You want to what? A- are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be," she replied casually, though there was a certain tremor for all of half a second as she lifted the pan from the stovetop to plate up the eggs.

"But… but Mom," his voice softened, even though he couldn't muster a single ounce of care in his body for Hisashi to hear. "It's the League. Like, the League of Villains."

"I'm aware."

"The exact same League of Villains that threatened to kill…" his voice died in his throat at the memory, and he swallowed before shaking his head. "Are you- are you sure?"

Inko paused in setting the pan back down before she turned, wiping her hands on her apron and cupping her son's cheek. Her face softened in sympathy, her thumb swiping along his freckles.

"If your father- if Hisashi was willing to come back and stay," she began in just as quiet a tone, "if his student is honestly attempting to mellow, for us… I think, just this once, I can see for myself what the League is truly willing to be."

"Mom," his voice cracked as he raised a hand to cover her own. "They would have threatened to kill you, once."

"I know." She nodded, her smile tightening. "And if it comes to that… I will not hesitate to denounce everything. But I'm trying to hold onto my tentative faith that maybe things will be different this time. We all have to try, right?"

Izuku shut his mouth, silencing whatever protests still wanted to spring forth. He nodded stiffly, closing his eyes as she smoothed back his bangs and pressed a dainty kiss to his forehead.

Is it so wrong for me to feel apprehensive about this? He wondered.

"Remember, Izuku," Yoichi's voice rang in his mind, "the true mark of a villain is not what they're willing to do when their victim is helpless - it's what they're willing to do when their victim is unaware."

"I just don't know," he sighed as his back sagged, his head bowing. "I want my mom to be happy, really, I do! I love her more than anything! But this just feels really…"

"Inopportune?" Yoichi offered.

"Out of the blue?" Nana added.

"Completely insane?" Daigoro chimed in.

"Weird," Izuku finished, shaking his head. "I don't even know what to say! When Tomura came in for breakfast, we both just… stared at each other. It was so awkward! I mean, what do you even start with? 'Hey, I know you threatened to kill everyone I've ever loved and you came super close to killing me that one time, but no hard feelings, right?' 'I know you wanted to kill my childhood friend right in front of me but at least my mom wants to give you a second chance'?"

He threw his arms up in the air in exasperation. "Am I crazy for feeling completely out of my depth here?"

"My brother is… cunning," Yoichi mused, crossing one leg over the other. "I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't already attempting to win your mother over where both of you are unaware."

"You should've seen him," he started to say before he paused in realization. "Oh. Wait, you can see everything through my eyes, right?"

"Just about," Daigoro chuckled. "You have an awful lot of hero merch, kid. Do they still sell Lariat figurines?"

"Uh…" Izuku blinked. "... No?"

"Damn." The ex-hero huffed, folding his arms across his broad chest. "Well, at least I know I'm marketable."

"Don't worry, we only peek when we feel like it," Nana offered with a kind smile.

"Or when one of the others wants to listen in on whatever the hell that monster is spouting," En spoke up, before daring a glance at the First. "No offense."

"Full offense accepted," Yoichi heaved a sigh. "Believe me, I know. Right? Ryuji? Kenzou?"

The two silent vestiges remained in their spots.

"Give 'em a bit, they'll warm up." Daigoro rolled his eyes, pointing a thumb their way. "Just let First handle 'em."

"You've always had such a soft spot for him, Second," Hikage sighed from his spot.

Izuku watched them for several long seconds before a hand touched his shoulder, and he looked up. "Mrs. Shimura?"

"Just Nana, please," her smile grew a little forced at the mention before she squatted beside him. "I wanted to ask you a bit of a… personal question. You're free to say no at any time."

Blinking, he shifted his body to face her a little better. "What did you want to ask?"

"Would it…" she took a breath and locked eyes with Yoichi across from the boy. "Would you be alright… if I took your body in the near future? So I could have a few words with Tomura?"

Yoichi's eyes widened a fraction and he opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

"Absolutely not," Hikage narrowed his eyes.

"That would be a horrible idea," En agreed.

Daigoro shifted from foot to foot, eyeing her with disappointment. "Nana," he began, "you've gotta let go."

"Just for a minute!" She defended with a glare, her grip tightening on the ninth's shoulder.

"That… freak of nature is not your grandson anymore!" The fifth argued back. "All For One's had his grimy claws in him for years now! Even attempting to make contact…"

"Too risky. That student of his is way too dangerous right now." En agreed, folding his arms.

Yoichi glanced from face to face before raising a hand, effectively silencing everyone else.

His gaze pointedly rested on Izuku's as he questioned, "Izuku, the choice is yours. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Calling the kettle black, aren't we?" Ryuji, Second, spoke up, his gruff voice teeming with incredulity. "You could not keep yourself from inhabiting him when face to face with that monster you call a brother."

"I… understand, that was out of line," Yoichi replied tersely, identical green eyes narrowing in annoyance. "But this is different. Out of all of us, Nana is the only one who still has blood ties to the living world."

"But… my father…?" Izuku trailed off.

"As far as I'm concerned, we share no such blood," First replied. "We may be brothers, but he is not someone I would consider family."

"Understandable," he muttered under his breath and rubbed his arm.

He turned to the woman. "Would doing that… help you move on?"

"Pardon?" Her face fell slightly, taken aback at the question.

"Not like, as a ghost, or anything," he hurriedly continued. "I know this is kind of… tying all of you here. But- but what I mean is, maybe talking to Tomura would help you… I dunno, make peace with things? Things you regret having left behind?"

She remained quiet for several moments, studying his face, before slowly nodding. "You… definitely summed it up. I do feel that if I get to speak to him, face to face, that perhaps I can make peace with one of the biggest regrets I took to my grave. I've… always wished I could have met my grandson under different circumstances. Even if he does hate me… at the very least, I would not have to worry about him anymore."

"If he does hate you, maybe it'll make it easier for us to convince you to kill him," Daigoro spoke up.

She shot him a dark look, one that made him raise his arms in defense.

"Nana," Yoichi spoke gently, "Would you want to make peace with Tomura? Would that allow you to let go of your attachments to him?"

The deceased heroine nodded, her shoulders straightening. "I… believe so. Yes, I believe so."

"If you do… um, take over my body," Izuku chimed in, making all eyes turn to him. He flushed, poking his fingers together. "I want you to meet my mom. I… I think you'd like her."

Nana paused in surprise. "You… do?"

"She is a lovely woman," Yoichi agreed with a soft chuckle. "I hate to admit it, but Hisashi chose well. You would adore her."

"Alright, well, I suppose that wouldn't be so bad." She gave the boy a crooked grin, ruffling his curls. "At least this might convince her that you're in good hands!"

Hey, All Might! I have a question.

I didn't wake you, did I?

No, my boy

Ask me anything you want

Cool!

I was wondering if I could tell my mom about The Thing

Not like everything but like you know about Nana!

She wants to meet my mom and Tomura and I wanted your consent before so

I do not think that would be wise.

Given that AFO is in your household, him possibly knowing any secrets of the Quirk would be too risky.

However, if you wish to tell them about Nana…

If that's what you want, then I see no issue.

Thank you so much All Might!

Goodnight my boy

A/N: Featuring my fanon names for Second and Third: Ryuji and Kenzou! Both have the respective kanji for 'two' and 'three' in them. Some of you (if you've read my other works in this fandom on AO3) might recognize Ryuji from One For Nine.