A/N thanks for your reviews and support.
A Queen Among Women: thanks for your review my friend. I love Naomasa too! Him adopting Izuku is my favorite trope. There is a lot of pain he has to get through.
...
Izuku paced around Jeanist office as he waited. The hero took Katsuki down to medical but asked Izuku to stay in his office. Given what the greenette was wearing that was fair. They didn't need the Commission believing that Jeanist worked with a vigilante.
Still it was infuriating that he could not be there for Katsuki. Their relationship was still on the mend but Izuku still cared for him. Just as he cared for all who stayed with him.
Questions railed about in his mind the longer he stayed. What if Katsuki needed specialized treatment? Quirks couldn't fix everything after all. There was no way he and the others would be able to afford it. Then there was the questions that would be asked.
Another question hit him. How would they hide Katsuki? As quirkless Izuku, Charlie, and Echo weren't actually cared about. When they went missing a small cursory investigation would be given if it was reported. Beyond that no one cared. That was the fact of their lives given the hand they were dealt. When it came to Katsuki however there were plenty more who would notice and care about his absence. Teachers at the school would report it and the police would actively search. After all Katsuki had a strong "heroic" quirk.
It would be all to easy for someone to be looking for Katsuki and to find him with the vigilantes. Then all of them would be screwed in every sense of the word. It wasn't like Izuku could just abandon him though. That would go against everything he stood for.
What could he do to protect his friend? Things were too dangerous for both Katsuki and the vigilantes for him to stay with them. His hands shook with anger. This was why they had been trying to keep things just between the Medusans. Adding others made things more complicated than necessary.
All of this had changed when he met Orion. It was Orion who convinced him that having allies would be a good thing. Sure they had learned a few things from Orion and he fixed his relationship with Katsuki but it was still dangerous. Dangerous in a way that no one could understand.
"Midoriya," the soft voice of the Number 4 Hero startled him.
Izuku jumped back his eyes wild with fear and a hand went for his knife. Then he realized who had called his name. His heart still pounded within his chest. Every instinct in him screamed to put the man down. That this man was a threat to him and his people. It wasn't true though. Jeanist had come to get them while still barely knowing anything about him. He could be trusted.
That gave Izuku pause. Jeanist took a step forward his light green eyes showing his worry. Jeanist could have turned them over. Or set a trap. Maybe just maybe he could place his trust in him. First however he needed to make sure that Katsuki was taken care of.
Meeting Jeanist gaze he asked, "How is Katsuki?"
Jeanist said his face still marred with a frown, "He will be fine. I called Recovery Girl since she was nearby helping someone else. Are you okay? I heard you mumbling."
Izuku questioned as he rubbed a hand down his face, "Am I doing the right thing? I brought Katsuki into my lifestyle and told him everything. This didn't happen last time. Am I just going to make things worse with my actions?"
There was a flash of confusion before Jeanist straightened as he said, "Despite the fact I don't like how you're going about it or know the full reason that you're doing this. I believe you're doing the right thing. Many lives would have ended without your prompt arrival. Heroes and civilians alike would have died. I'm sure young Katsuki would not have chosen to join you if he felt you were wrong. That child has a strong sense of right and wrong. Even if he is young KEM."
Izuku gaped, "How?"
"His quirk," explained Jeanist with a smirk, "I was there in his debut. Remember? It wasn't hard to figure given your group is made up of teenagers."
Izuku snorted, "I guess I should have known that you would figure it out. You're not bothered a bunch of teenagers are doing the job of heroes?"
Jeanist sighed, "Honestly it does bother me that you are putting yourself at risk. Though I do understand that no matter what I say would change what you're doing. Instead I'll offer you a safe place to hideout if you need it. A place to heal where questions won't be asked."
Izuku looked like a gaping fish. This was more than he had been expecting. Jeanist held all the cards right now. He could have forced Izuku to come clean by using Katsuki's medical care against him. To offer all this. It had been more than he could ever hope for.
Unbidden tears sprang up making his eyes burn. He squashed down the emotions. This was no time to let them get the better of him. Not while his wasn't alone.
Jeanist said softly, "You don't have to make yourself emotionless you know. Even heroes struggle with their emotions. It's what makes us human."
Izuku growled, "I don't need to be human right now. I need to be the soldier I was forced into becoming by circumstance. At least until the time All For One and Shigaraki are dead."
Jeanist folded his arms and leaned back. The two stared each other down neither willing to give in.
Then the hero sighed, "Without your humanity you are little better than who you hunt. I still have many questions about that too. I can see how you are haunted by something in your past."
That stung. The walls that had lowered ever so slightly slammed back up. He could not afford to show weakness here. Not now. Weakness would only get him killed. Humanity could wait until the world was safe.
Jeanist then said throwing Izuku for a loop at the sudden change of topic, "Katsuki Bakugo will be fine as I said. At least physically but he still needs a guardian."
Izuku flinched. His words echoed his own thoughts. The only thing he could not abide by was Katsuki being given back to the abusive parents and being thrown into the Foster System. Both would ruin his friend mentally.
"You know I like many heroes have an emergency Foster License," Wait what? What was he saying? It couldn't be, "If he will let me, I'll take him in."
Izuku breathed in surprise, "You would do that?" Then suspicion crept back in, "Why?"
Softly Jeanist replied, "Because it's the right thing to do. Will you allow me to help him and by extension you?"
There wasn't much of a choice here. He had to accept the other's help at least in terms of Katsuki's care. His group couldn't take care of him. Not as they were.
So Izuku said, "Yes. Help him."
"Help who?" Came Katsuki's familiar voices from behind Jeanist.
Jeanist swung around allowing Izuku to see the other teenager. Katsuki was in an oversized sweatshirt that he had not been wearing before. Probably the hero's if he had to guess. His hands were wrapped in heavy bandages to protect them. In his blood red eyes held the familiar anger and questions.
Izuku leaned back on his heels and said, "Help you. Katsuki you cannot stay with us for obvious reasons. Jeanist here is offering to take you in."
Suspicion immediately jumped into the red eyes. Like Izuku he had been hurt too many times to trust readily. No offer of help came without a cost. So what did the hero want in return?
Katsuki growled low, "Why?"
A sigh escaped the man, "Because it's the right thing to do. All of you deserve a loving family. I know that Midoriya will not allow me to help him. But I hope you will."
Katsuki gave the man what seemed to be his usual. Izuku however could see a softer undertone to it. A sense of vulnerability that wasn't usually present.
So he said, "You should give him a chance. He can give you a better life than us vigilantes could. You know you always have a place with us if it comes down to it."
Izuku's attention was away from the two suddenly as he felt his pocket vibrate. There were three short vibrations, a pause, then two more. An emergency signal.
Pulling out his phone he pulled it out and checked it. Only for the feeling of ice to run down his back. Hostage situation on south side. Former CIRO agent as the suspect, two children younger than ten as hostages. Police and CIRO agents were on scene but no luck in negotiations. Heroes had been called.
This could either end very very badly or it would have a good ending. With each passing moment it was more likely to end badly. They needed to get their now. Izuku was already typing out a confirmation message asking them to grab his bow and side arm.
"I'm sorry," Izuku said coldly, "Normally I would stay to help you settle in but there's an emergency situation. I need to get back to Musutafu."
Katsuki flipped into his vigilante mindset immediately, "Whats happening?"
Looking between them he replied, "Hostage situation. It's bad. The suspect has taken two kids hostage."
"I'm going," snapped Katsuki.
"No," came dual shouts.
Then Izuku softened it when he saw the hurt on the other's face, "Not this time. You can barely feel your hands. In this type of situation you would only be a liability. Heal first. Then you can help us again. Until then I need to go."
Jeanist ordered, already typing on his phone, "My driver will take you to Musutafu. Just tell him where you want him to drop you off. I didn't know what to expect when you called for help so I didn't risk bringing him along earlier. But he will be discreet."
"Thank you, Best Jeanist," and like that he was gone.
...
What a mess. This was his thoughts as Alexander Conklin arrived on scene. It seemed every time he was due to leave town something happened. The only difference between this time and the vigilantes mess was that Abbott was with him.
Per protocol they had called Alex, David Abbott, and Morris Panov. The doctor was acting as negotiator but it was not going as well as anyone hoped. Maximus was still holed up with the kids. If they tried to storm the house he would kill them.
"Do you have a plan for this, Alex?"Abbott questioned, "We both this is one time that Panov will not succeed. Maximus is too far gone."
Alex said not taking his eyes away from the building they were outside of, "He is our plan. Unless you have a better one. We can't storm the building unless you want to risk the kids."
A silent moment passed before Abbott said, "Another asset is on your seven. He has a clear shot of the only window but no eyes on the hostages."
He didn't so much as twitch. He knew exactly where the man was talking about. It was the only viable sniper's nest in the area. Only having a single window made it very difficult to find such things.
Instead he stared at Mo trying it discern what was being said. He was too though to hear and while he could read lips it was difficult to at this angle. Abbott stiffened with a frown. All Alex did in response was twitch slightly.
"What is it?" He questioned barely moving his lips.
Abbott's eyes stared towards the building trying to discern something. Alex couldn't see whatever it was. What had he seen that would cause him to show such obvious signs?
Then his eyes adjusted to the shadows and distance. Three figures barely discernable from the shadows. If he hadn't been watching for abnormalities. Alex's heart began to pound wildly in his chest.
What in the hell were they doing here? He wasn't stupid he knew that they were vigilantes. Specifically two newer one's had joined the one that broke in the CIRO office. Even from a distance he could pick out the vigilante who made a fool out of him. Shorter than the other two but much faster.
Alex raised his hand to his earpiece fully intent of having the asset relocate. Only for Abbott to grab his arm and shake his head. A growl of annoyance escaped him. Why the hell not? This was their best chance to stop them and to keep them from interfering with the operation.
Abbott said, "Let's just watch them for now. Maximus knows our tactics. He knows what we will do but they are an unpredictable force. If this can end without death it will be their doing."
"This could also be what forces Maximus's hand," returned Alex his eyes flashing with anger, "If something happens to those kids it will be on your head."
