It was dark out by the time Majima and Izuku arrived back at the Midoriya residence. Inko had given the older man a key, likely expecting something like this.

The young boy of the pair had fallen asleep on Majima's back, the day's events likely having been especially taxing on him. He snored lightly into his uncle's shoulder, the smell of Katsudon heavily present on his breath.

After their little heart-to-heart, Majima felt like Izuku deserved a little treat… and he wanted to maybe make up for getting ready to ignore him earlier(he kept the latter reason to himself).

After telling Izuku he could have as much as he wanted at the nearest Fuji Soba, it didn't take long for the boy to order and scarf down three bowls of Katsudon; it almost reminded him of a certain someone.

And so here they were, at the front door of the Midoriya residence, with a bag of take-out(also from Fuji Soba).

Pulling the key he was given out of his pocket, slightly adjusting Izuku to make sure he wouldn't slide off his back with all his shifting, Majima unlocked the door and opened it.

The man stepped in and closed the door, sliding off his boots before sitting down on the edge of the genkan and setting little Izuku on his lap to do the same for him.

That done, Majima stood with the child in his arms. Softly, so as not to startle the boy he was holding, but loud enough to be heard in the small apartment, he called out, "Tadaima!"

Seconds later, a softer voice called back, "Okaeri!"

A few muffled words, followed by a rush of footsteps soon after, reached his ears. When they stopped, he was greeted by the sight of a beaming Inko Midoriya.

Her hair was the same shade of green as her son's. Far less curly, though. He'd gotten that, and his freckles, from his father. Truth be told, he sometimes found it kinda freaky just how perfect a combination the boy was of his parents. But he would just reason that that was another reason why the boy was so great. He was all the best parts of two of his favorite people in the world(even if he wanted to strangle one of them at the moment) put together!

That aside, Inko came up to the two and gingerly took Izuku from Majima; pulling the man into a quick, one-armed hug as she did so.

"Thought you got lost or something." She let go and quirked her brow, a knowing smile already dancing across her lips.

"Little tyke was hungry. Put away three bowls of Katsudon before he called it a night."

"He always has been a voracious eater."

"Reminds me of a certain someone, actually."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, a little lady I treated a few times. One time, she left me with a 200k bill."

"Wow! She could eat!"

"Yeah, she could. And here's the funniest thing: She looked a lot like you."

"Huh, that is pretty funny. You should introduce us. Maybe over dinner?"

"Ha! Yeah right. My wallet's already cryin'."

The two chuckled briefly before Inko went to put Izuku to bed, pointing Majima to the one room with a light on.

She seemed oddly smug, for some strange reason… Eh, probably just his eye playing tricks on him.

Ohhh, I see.

"Hm? Inko, you back?"

Inko always was a clever girl. Pretty and smart. The perfect balance for Hisashi's idiocy(of the social kind).

That same intelligence made him love her just as much as his little Izu-chan.

And as he looked at the computer in the room to see an active video call with Hisashi Midoriya on the screen, Majima could swear he was beginning to love her just the teensiest bit more.

"Yo, Hi-chan~. How's I-Island?"

"Huh. Niisan, is that you?"

Closing his eye and leaning towards the camera, the cyclops gave the man on the other side of the screen a pleasant smile.

Any normal person who had never met Goro Majima would think nothing of it.

To someone like Hisashi, who had known Goro Majima for a good two decades, he knew exactly what that smile meant. And it filled him with an intense and familiar fear.

"N-niisan? Is e-everything oka-?"

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill ya~."

"Hiee! Why?! I didn't do anything!"

"That's. The. Problem. Idiot. Ya didn't do anything when you shoulda been the first."

"Huh!?"

Majima breathed in deeply, he didn't wanna punch the screen and screw up this talk with the dumbass.

"Hi-chan, I'm gonna ask ya a question. I'll beat ya to death real slow if you get it wrong. So… don't. Okay?"

Hisashi, pale as a sheet, nodded quickly.

"Okay, Hi-chan. Answer me this… How many people are in your family?"

"N-niisan, where are you going with-" He was cut off by a scalding glare.

"Answer the question."

"Three, there's three!"

"That's right, good job!" He gave Hisashi a quick clap before continuing, "Now… who are they?"

"Um… First, there's you, then Inko, and Dekiru… Oh shit."

"Oh shit, indeed. Wanna explain why ya didn't tell your son why you had to leave?"

"I… I thought he needed some space."

"Space? Space? You thought he needed… space?"

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna use yer goddamn head as a baseball."

"Ah! Why?!"

"Because yer a goddamn moron!"

"I thought if he had some space he'd be more willing to talk about it later!"

"He's fuckin' four, Hisashi!"

"He's smart for his age!"

"Four!"

"W-well yeah, but-!"

"Ichi, ni, san, FOUR!"

"Would you just-?"

"Hisashi, the more you argue with me, the more pissed off I get. So stop... and listen."

Hisashi, showing that he did have more than a single working brain cell, kept his mouth shut.

"I don't know how the hell ya got it into yer head that leavin' a child alone in an incredibly emotional state was a good idea. And, truth be told, I don't wanna know. I'd probably catch a plane straight to wherever the fuck I-Island is right now just to kill ya. And ya know that if I wanted to… it'd be done. Ain't any security system on this green earth that'd stop me."

Hisashi stayed quiet, now wasn't the time to try to defend himself. He knew for a fact that his older brother would make good on that threat. Past history or not, the man took Izuku's well-being to a new level. It'd bring a tear to his eye if it weren't the reason why he was currently under the threat of death.

"Now, in yer mind, I bet ya thought, 'Dekiru won't be alone, mama's right there. When he's ready ta talk, he'll tell her, she'll tell me, we'll all talk about it together herp de derp'. That sound about right?"

"..."

"Blink once fer yes, twice fer no."

Blink.

"Yeah, s'what I thought. Never were the brightest when it came ta people. Always a few grains shortuva a rice bowl. Intellectual genius, social dumbass."

Critical Hit to Hisashi Midoriya's pride.

He knew it was true, but it still hurt.

"So that's why I came up with a better plan. You may thank Goro Majima-sama later."

And now he was preening. Great…

"First, you'll be talking with Izu-chan tomorrow. I don't care what you gotta do, cancel or move it, it's less important."

A nod.

"Next, you'll be cutting out at least an hour every week to call and talk with Inko-chan and Izu-chan… and me, if I feel so inclined ta see yer ugly mug."

Another nod.

"Finally, and this is the big one, yer gonna help Izu-chan become a hero."

"Huh?!"

"Yeah, ya heard that right. Izu-chan's gonna be a hero. Not just any hero, though. He's gonna be the greatest goddamn hero this world's ever seen!"

The conviction in his elder brother's voice shook Hisashi slightly. The last time he had heard him like this was when he was looking after Ma- a dear friend of his.

All he could really do was nod again.

"And no more hare-brained schemes, ya nincompoop."

"O-okay, Niisan."

"Great! Anything ta add, Inko-chan?"

Wait, Inko-chan?

"Nope. You pretty much covered it, Goro-nii."

And there stood Inko, ashtray in hand, smile on her face.

"I'll see you in the morning, dear. Goodnight!"

"G-goodnight, hon."

And the call disconnected.