Batman's knees buckle when his feet collide with the next rooftop. He hadn't been keeping count of how many he's leapt onto, but he'd have lost the number by now had he been. All night, the caped crusader has been traversing the top of buildings. After the trail went cold on riddler with his visit to Katsuki Bakugo, he took to patrolling the city. It's been an exhausting output and immense exertion to travel on foot, that he's finally at his limit. His legs give out and he tumbles across the roof he's landed on. His body armor protects him from collecting any more bruises or scrapes, but the rough ride leaves him sprawled out and breathing heavily.
The sky has a shade of blue in it as night turns to morning. He stares up at it, allowing himself to bask in the rising sunlight. The way the radiating beams hit the glass windows of the skyscrapers makes for a gorgeous view. He climbs to his feet, stepping up to the ledge of the roof that he's on to overlook the city. Cars are starting to drive their early bird commute to work. Joggers and pet owners are heading out for their morning walks. He recedes from the ledge so that he can't be seen.
As much as he hates to admit it, he'll have to head back home now. He can't stay out as Batman anymore. He does suppose he can stay down in the cave, but he has no doubt that Kurogiri will attempt to pay him a visit. The excuse will be to bring him a meal, tea, or coffee. Yet the true meaning of those bothersome visits will be to reconcile. He knows that it's unavoidable. The talk is inevitable. But he's just not ready for it yet.
Luckily for him, he has another conversation to get through first. "I thought I'd find you brooding somewhere if I looked for you long enough.", a feminine voice reaches his ears but it takes him pivoting to find the source with his eyes.
"Shiretoko.", Batman recognizes the woman immediately despite the goggles covering her face. She's still wearing the same skin tight leather outfit that she did when they first met. Even so, the vigilante is on guard, not used to being snuck up on.
The former pro heroine turned vigilante raises her goggles up so that they rest on her forehead instead of covering her eyes, allowing the woman a better look at her fellow vigilante. She takes in his appearance, acknowledging the upgraded getup, but noting that the bat insignia hasn't changed in the slightest. "You look good.", her voice is a soft purr that eases the earlier tension.
"So do you.", Midoriya unwillingly finds himself relaxing in her presence. He takes in her appearance, one that he hasn't seen in a long time. Her yellow eyes match the hue of the sun behind her. Batman quickly dissipates those thoughts and remembers to ask, "What are you doing here?"
"Kurogiri called me.", Shiretoko rests a hand on her hip as she relays the reason for her return.
And that's all Batman needs to hear in order to walk away. He shakes his head as he goes for the next ledge for a departure from the rooftop they're on, "Dammit."
"Izuku, wait..", but Shiretoko grabs him by the crook of an elbow to prevent him from storming off. When Batman looks over his shoulder at her to make her release him, he realizes her expression is as gentle as her grip. She lets go of him anyways, "Don't do this. Don't be you and shut me out.", letting him know she means no harm.
Batman holds his stare for a while longer, internally wrestling with his options to go or stay. Eventually, Midoriya decides to ask, "What did he tell you?"
Shiretoko's look of concern remains as she answers, "Nothing. Just that something's wrong. That you were ready to give up your life for your crusade again."
Batman shakes his head in disbelief before fully turning to face her. He has a tough time reining in his frustration as he counters, "There's nothing wrong with that. That never changed. I gave up my life a long time ago so that I could become what I have to be."
But Shiretoko shuts him down by reminding him, "That's not what we agreed on when I left." She stares into his eyes while she asks, "What about Eri?"
Midoriya is unable to hold the gaze, breaking away and closing his eyes. "She's going to U.A. She'll have friends.", he excuses himself from that duty and his responsibility to her with as much resolve as he can muster.
But Shiretoko can see that the resolve is very little. He can't bear to look her in the eye and he doesn't believe his own words. "Izuku. Look at me.", she demands. When he doesn't, she says it again more softly, "Take off your mask and look at me."
Slowly, Midoriya raises his hands behind his head to undo his cowl. He keeps his eyes closed as he removes the mask. He keeps his head lowered. He doesn't hide the shame. Only when Shiretoko places one of her hands against his cheek does he open his eyes.
He leans his face into her tender touch as she says, "You know better than anyone that friends won't be enough. She needs a parent.", because she's right.
But he pulls away soon after, remembering the reason he was ready to give up his lifestyle as Izuku Midoriya in the first place. "Kurogiri was that to me. And now.. I don't want to do the same to her. What if I let her down?", he worries about the secrets and lies he has to keep sometimes as Batman and how they may affect the people in his life the way his caretaker's lies and secrets did.
"That's up to you to change. And whatever Kurogiri did wrong, he's clearly trying to make up for it too.", but Shiretoko is ready to assure him.
Midoriya has to hold himself back from sighing in defeat. All it took was one little talk and he caved so easily. He also has to admit to her though, "You're right."
Shiretoko smiles sweetly as she brushes against his chest. Small, she nestles against him. "I always am.", her teasingly flirtatious tone makes smiling contagious.
A small smile gracing his lips, he wraps his arms around her and holds her. He realizes in that moment what he allowed to get away when she left. And he has to be grateful to be able to hug her, "I'm glad that you're back."
"I'm sure Eri will be too.", Shiretoko hums in equal elation before looking up at him to ask, "Can I come with you to see her?"
"Of course. She'd love that.", Midoriya nods and his smile stretches slightly bigger.
Suddenly, the dawn of a new day has a much more vibrant meaning to the man. Removing his mask as Batman has allowed Izuku Midoriya to step back into the light. And he isn't alone. Returning to the manor he calls his home, he has a family waiting for him there.
He's greeted at the entrance by a cheerful barking. The Shepherd and Dane mix bounds into him, asking to be scratched behind the ears by nudging its snout into his hands.
"Hello to you too, Ace.", Midoriya chuckles as he gives the mutt what it wants.
When Ace fixes his sights on Shiretoko, she tries to avoid the incoming slobber attack, "Don't even think about it, dog." But fails miserably when he breaks past her defense and licks her face mercilessly, "Urgh. Okay, okay. Fine."
Eri joins the fray next, "Izuku!", running into Midoriya for a hug.
"Eri. Good morning.", he returns the hug before crouching down more to her level, "Did you sleep well?"
"Mmhm.", she nods. Then she notices the greenette standing nearby, "Tomoko!"
"Hey there! I missed you too!", Shiretoko laughs when Eri barrels into her harder than the dog did.
"Are you back for good now?", Eri asks from within Shiretoko's hold.
The question catches Shiretoko by surprise, "Well.." She finds herself looking at Midoriya for help, but he's giving her just as inquisitive an expression as Eri.
"Time will tell.", she's grateful for Kurogiri when he arrives to come to her rescue. He places a hand on Eri's head to steer her away while reminding her, "Speaking of time, shouldn't you be getting ready for class, young lady?"
Eri groans in complaint, "Ugghh, fiiine!" But obeys and goes to grab her school supplies anyways.
When she turns, Midoriya notices a fresh wound under an elbow. He stops her before she can run off, "Whoa, whoa, wait!" He recalls the bandages she was wrapped in when he found her and immediately worries about the worst case scenario, "How did this happen?"
"Battle training. It's just a scratch.", but Eri waves it off as nothing to be concerned with. She even goes as far to proudly show it off and announce, "Now we'll match!"
"I.. Don't know how I feel about that..", Midoriya feels his face heat up in embarrassment. On one hand, he doesn't want her to be gaining scars for the sake of looking like him. But on the other hand, he can't help but feel a bit of pride for some reason. He's almost ashamed of himself for being a bad influence. Almost.
"I think it's kinda cute.", Shiretoko leans against his shoulder in order to tease him over it. Ace barks as though communicating with her. Midoriya worries that they actually can speak with one another and that she's more than a catwoman when she says, "See? The dog agrees."
Midoriya lets out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding. "So this is what it's like to have a kid. Will I ever stop worrying about her?", he stands back up as he watches Eri get ready for school.
Kurogiri joins him at his other side, also watching the girl he adopted enthusiastically prepare for the day ahead. "Not for a single second. I don't think any parent does. Even I occasionally still poke my head into your room when you're sleeping to check if you're still breathing.", he speaks with a fondness that really resonates with Midoriya.
Despite his guardian's history and his family's ties to crime, he can't help but be touched at his heart. He realizes that Kurogiri truly does care for him. Not just as a butler, but as a parent. For him to have ever doubted Kurogiri, he feels foolish. And now, Kurogiri aids him in his crusade. Whether that be a form of retribution or for his sake, Midoriya accepts the penance. He rests a hand on Kurogiri's shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze as he says, "That does sound like something a father would do."