Izuku stood by the open window of the infirmary. He peered down wondering if the drop would kill him or not. 'It might break my leg.' He thought as he adjusted the sling on his arm. Izuku could feel the dread fill into the pit of his stomach. The dread telling him that he was absolutely fucked and should be planning his own funeral now. His dad knew. Oh, Izuku didn't need anybody to tell him that, he could tell by the atmosphere that surrounded all of UA. There was murder in the air.
"This would be so much easier if I had a capture scarf-" The door of the infirmary slammed open. Izuku screamed and all he saw were red eyes and raised black hair. At that very moment he decided 'fuck it' and attempted to jump out of the window. Yeah, that plan went as well as… well, the entrance exam. His father's capture weapon got to him before he could climb up the window sill. Izuku gasped as the scarf wrapped tightly around his torso, forcing his good arm to the side and his bad arm to squish painfully against his chest.
"Wai-wait!-" Panic settled in as Izuku fell onto his back. Inch by inch he was pulled against the floor. "Da-dad! I'm-I'm sensing you might be upset!"
"-You deliberately disobeyed me!-"
"I'm-"
"You broke three limbs, Izuku, three!"
"-Please! Just let me expl-"
"What the fuck were you thinking?!" Aizawa hissed between his tightly clenched teeth. Izuku made an attempt to stop his father, but all he did was just pitfully kick his feet as he tried, and failed, to get back up from the ground. Inch by inch he was being pulled in and deliberately. His father wanted him to squirm.
"Pl-please don't kill me! I know it looks bad-"
His father stopped pulling him in. That terrified Izuku more than being pulled in. "It… looks bad…" Aizawa repeated in a slow tone.
"Uh-oh-" Was all Izuku could say before Aizawa yanked him and before Izuku knew it he slid directly to Aizawa's feet. Aizawa then pulled on his capture weapon. Izuku felt all the air in his lungs get squeezed out of him from that one tug alone. "Ack!"
"This doesn't just look bad, Izuku!"
"I'm sorry!" Izuku wheezed while his legs started to instinctively kick against the floor. "I'm sorry! I swear! I can-I can explain!"
"Okay-" Suddenly Izuku was off of the ground as his dad held him up with his capture weapon. The two of them were face-to-face now. Izuku could see just how pissed his father was. This wasn't like the sludge villain, this was a different kind of anger, one that Izuku couldn't properly place. It was an anger that his father had never expressed to him before and it terrified Izuku down to his core. "-Explain. Now."
"I will-"
"Good. Oh, and before you give me some half-baked lie, Toshinori already explained that he gave you the quirk. So. Let me ask. Why would you willingly take a quirk from someone and not even think about the consequences!?"
'How'd he know I got it from All Might?!' Izuku gasped out as he felt a sharp pain dig into his side from the capture scarf. He could barely breathe, only given just enough room to let in swift and shallow breaths. "I- I just wanted to be a hero!" He managed to rasp out weakly. "I just wanted… a chance-"
"I was giving you a chance! Nedzu was going to give you a chance!-"
"No! I mean a chance to be… normal. To fit in! You don't know what it's like to be quirkless!" His father opened his mouth, clearly ready to dispute this. For once in his life, Izuku cut his father off. "-No. I know exactly what you're going to say, dad. 'I fight quirkless.' or 'Hitoshi has to fight quirkless!' No. It's not the same! You have a quirk! Hichan has a quirk! I don't have a quirk… Well, I didn't. Now I have a quirk!"
Aizawa's mouth shut with an audible 'snap' of his teeth.
"You said it yourself, dad. Nedzu was apprehensive about me because of my quirklessness!"
Aizawa felt his lips turn down into a frown. Slowly, he placed Izuku back on the ground. He then reeled his scarf back into his hands. Izuku let out an immediate breath of relief once he was able to breathe normally again. He wouldn't say it, but he almost felt like he was going to pass out for a second there. Aizawa crossed his arms over his chest and scowled down at his son.
"Fine. I can see your reasoning there and maybe it's my fault for being so blunt with you…but that doesn't excuse what you did. You still accepted a quirk without knowing the consequences. This quirk is dangerous; anyone with a brain can see that and because of that I now have to help train you to learn how to use it! Your body is barely able to handle this power."
Izuku looked down at his shoes. "I know."
That was when two hands suddenly cradled the sides of his face before he was forced to look back up at his father. "I thought you died, Izuku."
There was a moment of silence before Izuku placed his head on Aizawa's chest. "I think using the telekinesis quirk combined with the punch and jumping over did it."
"Where did that telekinesis quirk come from?"
"Dunno. I didn't even know I had it until it caused Iida's glasses to fly into my hand."
Aizawa frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. Not one bit.
"... now, for my next question." Aizawa moved on from the subject and grabbed onto both of Izuku's shoulders. "Why the fuck would you squanter your chance with Nedzu and go to the entrance exam, against my personal wishes? I told both you and Hitoshi that the entrance exam was way too dangerous! Not only that, but you just got this weird quirk that Toshinori gave you and you decided that the exam would be the best way to 'test it out'?"
"No! That's not really… I didn't want to… I… I didn't want to upset All Might. He sprung it on me and-and I know I shouldn't have gone but I just wanted to show him that I can do it! I didn't think that you'd be watching…"
Aizawa took his hands off of Izuku's shoulders and sucked in a slow and deep breath. "Not all the blame is on you some is also on me. Most of it is on Toshinori-"
"-Why would you get any blame?"
"Because. I've known you've been training with Toshinori for months now. I knew he was planning something, but I didn't know what. I should have either put a stop to it or demanded to know what he was doing. If it were up to me, Izuku, you would be giving Toshinori that quirk back this second."
Izuku bit his lip. The idea of giving back the quirk so soon after getting it made him… unbelievably disappointed.
"However; Toshinori has gracefully informed me that once the quirk has been passed on there's no way for him to take it back. So, we're going to have to train you and get you into quirk counseling and we now have to pray you get into UA after this stunt."
"Wait-" Izuku put a hand up. "What do you mean 'we're going to have to train you.'?"
"If you think for a damn second that I'm allowing you to keep being alone with Toshinori after this, you're wrong. Neither you nor Toshinori can be trusted. So, I'm going to help train you. Besides, I'm probably your best bet here. That quirk is dangerous and until you get a good enough handle on it I don't want you using it unless we're training. Understood?"
Izuku swallowed hard but nodded all the same. "Okay… that's fair."
"Good. Also you're grounded."
"Ah!"
"Izuku do you want to try that again?" Aizawa now leaned in so they were almost eye-to-eye.
"...Sorry." He ducked his head down and looked down at the shoes.
"The fact that you even thought you weren't going to be grounded is astonishing to me." Aizawa narrowed his eyes as he put his hands on his hips. "Also, since I'm here, give me your phone." Aizawa brought his hand out and made a 'give me' gesture with his right hand. "You aren't going to need it for a while."
Izuku grumbled under his breath before fishing into his pockets. He eventually pulled out his cellphone and placed it into his father's palm. "Thank you." After a moment Aizawa put the phone into his own back pocket. "And when we get home you can say goodbye to your TV and laptop. Oh, and you won't be going anywhere without telling me. No more spontaneous gas station trips or secret training with All Might."
Izuku bit his lip to keep from protesting knowing that if he did it'd only get worse.
Aizawa interlocked his fingers before cracking them. "I'm leaving Hitoshi up to you. Consider that a punishment in itself as well. I'm sure this'll go over real well with him."
"What the fuck happened?"
Those were the first words out of Hitoshi's mouth when Izuku and Aizawa walked through the front door.
Hitoshi's eyes were wide as he looked at Izuku's bandaged arm that rested in a sling.
"Izuku's grounded until I say otherwise. That's what happened." Aizawa responded as he immediately walked past Hitoshi. He went straight for the coffee pot. All he had to do was press a button and his coffee pot started to brew.
Hitoshi walked over to Izuku. "What did you do?" He whispered to his brother in a soft voice. Izuku looked past his brother and into the kitchen where his father stood there waiting by his coffee pot. Aizawa just stared back at Izuku with a raised eyebrow but he said nothing.
"It's nothing. I just broke my arm…" Izuku looked away from his father and now away from Hitoshi as he just stared at the ceiling. "...annnnd maybe both of my legs as well-" Izuku might as well as told Hitoshi that he snapped his neck in two by the look of absolute horror that etched on Hitoshi's face. "But those were healed an-and my arm is healed too! Just not all the way! Recovery Girl couldn't heal it all-"
Hitoshi cut him off. "Recovery Girl… you went to UA?"
Aizawa chuckled and grabbed his finished coffee. He started to pour the hot liquid into a mug. "Here we go." Both boys looked at their father before back at each other.
"Uh… yeah. I did." With a slow breath in, Izuku held on to his arm in the sling as he looked at Hitoshi. Hitoshi's eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion and fear.
"Why would you go to UA? We're not supposed to go 'till tomorrow."
"Uh."
There was suddenly a loud slurping and once again both boys looked at their father. Aizawa was leaning against the counter obnoxiously slurping the top of his coffee. 'He's loving this.' was all Izuku could think as he watched Aizawa for a few more seconds.
Izuku tapped his foot for a moment. This was a band-aid. One that Izuku was trying to slowly peel off, but now it was time to just rip it off. "I have a quirk!"
Hitoshi's face crumbled. "N… No you don't." Hitoshi then forced out a laugh. "You almost got me there, but, c'mon, you're quirkless, Zuchan."
"Ah, uh. No. I have a quirk…now."
"Now? No. Izuku, that's not funny."
Aizawa's obnoxious slurping stopped dead. Izuku's mind stalled for a good second or two as he stared at Hitoshi. 'Did he just… call me Izuku?' Never in their years of being brothers has Hitoshi ever called Izuku by his full first name. It was almost surreal to hear it.
"Uh." Izuku ran his free hand through his hair. "Sorry… but I'm not joking."
"We've discussed this. It's impossible for you to have a quirk."
Izuku blinked. "...When did we discuss this, Hichan?"
Hitoshi paused for a moment and then cleared his throat. "I dunno…" He mumbled and ran his own fingers through his thick hair. "A month ago at the dinner table, right dad?" Hitoshi looked back at their father. "Three doctors and what not!"
Izuku nodded. 'Right.' "Well. Their diagnosis wasn't wrong. I am supposed to be quirkless. But I'm not." Hitoshi walked over and grabbed a mug for himself. He was shaking his head the whole time, clearly trying to deny it in his mind. Izuku felt like he was slowly pulling the band-aid off again. So Izuku decided to try to be as honest as he can…without revealing that it was All Might that gave him the quirk. Hitoshi grabbed the coffee pot and poured the rest of the coffee into his own cup- "Hitoshi someone gave me a quirk."
There was a SMASH! As Hitoshi dropped the pot of coffee on the floor. "Shit!" Aizawa was quick and grabbed the nearest towel. Aizawa quickly got to the floor and picked the shards up with a towel. He was thankful that Hitoshi just emptied the coffee pot. When Aizawa stood, the first thing he noticed was the silence and the fact that Hitoshi hadn't moved from his spot from the by coffee pot. He was just standing there… staring at the counter top. He looked… murderous.
Then Aizawa turned his head to Izuku.
Izuku's eyes were completely blank. Void of life and white in color. His glassy eyes just stared at nothing while his mouth hung slightly open. 'Brainwashing.'
"Hitoshi…let him go." Aizawa could only hiss as he threw the towel, glass shards and all, into the trash can. "We've discussed this. You can't just brainwash people when you're angry with them."
Hitoshi's fists shook at his sides, his brow furrowed, and he folded his lips. He then started to violently shake his head. "No- no. I won't do it." He whispered. "I won't go back. I can't go back."
"I don't want to go back! You can't make me!" A little five year old Hitoshi Shinsou screamed at Aizawa as he tried to desperately flee with Izuku. The memory is still fresh in Aizawa's mind.
"Hitoshi… you aren't going back…" Aizawa reached out to touch Hitoshi's shoulder, but surprising Hitoshi jerked away.
"No! He'll find us. If Izuku sought him out he'll find us for sure! I can't go back!" It was like Hitoshi regressed. Like he was five again. All of those fears clearly rushed back to him. Hitoshi started to smack the sides of his head with his closed fists. "They're going to take us!"
"Whoa-" Aizawa, now acting quick before Hitoshi could hurt himself, grabbed onto both of Hitoshi's wrists and held them still. "Nobody is taking you or Izuku anywhere. Do you hear me? If they even attempt they're going to have to go through me. That is not an easy feat. and you can relax. It wasn't who you think it was. I can assure you that."
'Still…this is the first time I'm hearing of a 'he'.' Aizawa kept his thoughts a secret for now. He'd question Hitoshi about it when he wasn't so distressed.
Hitoshi bit his lip and vigorously started to shake his head. He shook his head so hard that his hair flew with the movement. "No! It was! He's the only one-"
"It was All Might." Aizawa said in a soft voice. "Izuku, I'm sorry. I know you wanted to keep it a secret… but we can't." He turned to Izuku, who was still under Brainwashing, and apologized. That was when he activated erasure on Izuku. Izuku blinked before shaking his head for a moment.
"All Might?" Hitoshi breathed out his eyes wet with unshed tears. "All Might… I don't understand. His quirk is… super strength or super punch."
"Nobody knows what his quirk is…until now."
"It's called One for All." Izuku joined in. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd freak out this badly! I know it's a shock to hear, but it is All Might's quirk. I never went to… I don't know who…"
"All For one…" Hitoshi whispered in shock as his eyes grew wide with fear.
"No, One for All." Aizawa corrected him. "Apparently, from what I was told about after the fact, it gets stronger with each user and Izuku here is the ninth one. Trust me. I'm not happy about this either, Hitoshi, but Izuku can't give the quirk back to Toshinori, so we're stuck with this."
Hitoshi licked his dry lips before shaking his head. "You…" He looked at Izuku. He just shook his head. "You may have just doomed us all." Was the last thing Hitoshi said before he walked away and out of the kitchen. His coffee was now long forgotten on the countertop.
"Wow…" Aizawa whispered. "I had no clue… clearly we need to up therapy for him… three times a month is excessive however. I should talk to him, alone as well." As Aizawa rambled to himself he turned and grabbed the broom to sweep up any glass shards left behind from the coffee pot.
While Aizawa swept the floor. He noticed that Izuku was just standing there and for a moment he wondered if Hitoshi had brainwashed him again. No, it didn't seem like it. He was staring hard at the countertop. His jaw set and his lips pursed. "All For One." Izuku whispered.
Aizawa rolled his eyes. "One for All-"
"No…" Izuku shut his eyes and squeezed them shut while rubbing at his temples. "It just sounds… I think I need to lay down…" Izuku whispered as he turned away from his dad briskly. Several pained gasps left his mouth as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I'm suddenly not feeling that hot."
Before Aizawa could stop him, Izuku walked away from the kitchen. This just left Aizawa alone trying to figure out what the fuck was going on with his two sons.
Aizawa gave Hitoshi space before confronting him. Two hours felt long enough. So, cautiously, Aizawa knocked on the door. There wasn't a response from the otherside. So, Aizawa turned the doorknob; it was unlocked. Opening the door, Aizawa knocked again.
Hitoshi was lying on his stomach. Earbuds in his ears, a pillow was under his chest while he stared at his phone. Music, metal by the sounds of it, was playing loudly through his earphones. His eyes darted from his phone to Aizawa. Hitoshi shut his eyes before sighing out loudly and yanking out one earbud. "I don't want to talk about it." was the first thing out of Hitoshi's mouth.
"Sorry, but not talking about it isn't an option." Aizawa came in and shut the door behind him. He sat on the edge of Hitoshi's bed. Hitoshi grumbled and shifted so he was now lying lazily on his side.
"Dad, I appreciate your concern-"
"Good, then you'll listen to me." Aizawa leaned back so his back was to the wall. "What's the problem? Why do you think we're doomed?"
"..." Hitoshi's mouth turned down into a frown. "Call it intuition."
"I'll call it what it really is. Paranoia."
Hitoshi swallowed there was an audible click in his throat as his Adam's Apple bobbed with the movement. "I thought… I thought I was over it. Really, I can handle the nightmares that plague my mind every night. But… I'm scared again."
"Because Izuku did something dumb?"
"...It's more than that…"
"Hitoshi, I agree, Izuku did something insanely dumb, more than dumb, moronic actually. But nobody is going to be banging down the front door over this. They'd be fools to try anyways…"
His words did nothing to ease Hitoshi's mood. Hitoshi kept the frown on his face as he picked at the end of his pillow. "Be honest with me. Do we need to up your therapy appointments?"
Hitoshi scrunched his nose at that. "I see that therapist more than he sees his family. I don't think so."
Aizawa absentmindedly reached over and placed a hand on Hitoshi's head. "Okay…" He breathed out softly. "Hitoshi, I want to help you. You went through something horrific eight years ago. You watched your family being slaughtered in front of you and the lab-" Hitoshi winced at the mention of the lab. "-But I still want to help ease your mind."
"... You can't. Forgetting the lab for a minute, I still… I still see the man with Axe Hands in my mind sometimes… I… he said he was going to come after me if I tried to run. I ran… and I… I still expect him to come through that door."
"..." Aizawa ran his fingers through Hitoshi's fluffy hair. Hitoshi leaned into Aizawa's touch absentmindedly. Aizawa shut his eyes as he thought to himself for a moment. "I know it's not much but, if it'll ease your mind even just a little bit, what if I placed cameras around the house? Both inside and out?"
Hitoshi perked his head up a little bit at that. "Cameras?"
"Yeah, it's something I've been thinking about for a while now anyways. I'm thinking of motion sensored ones that'll stream to my phone. This way, when I'm away on missions or off with UA, I'll be able to know you two are safe."
Hitoshi licked his dry lips as he thought about it. "That… doesn't sound too bad actually."
"Yeah, I thought the same thing. Also, this way I can watch your dumbass brother and make sure he doesn't try and sneak away without me knowing."
A snort left Hitoshi's nose at this. "Wow. He's grounded grounded. Isn't he?"
"Oh, you have no fucking idea. We can only hope he gets into UA."
"... I hope he does… I hope I do too."
"As long as you stick to your training I'm sure you'll do fine."
Hitoshi hummed at this as he laid back down on his stomach. "I'm nervous." His voice was muffled through his pillow.
"Not illogical." Aizawa sat there for a moment or two before standing up. "I guess I should start looking for cameras online. Are you good by yourself?"
"Yeah, I should be fine…"
"And it shouldn't be said, but if you ever feel unsafe just tell me."
Hitoshi looked up at his dad with soft eyes. "I know…" He whispered back to Aizawa before placing his earbud into his ear and resuming his metal music. Aizawa turned and walked out of Hitoshi's bedroom. Once the door clicked shut, Aizawa leaned his back against Hitoshi's door before rubbing vigorously at his eyes.
"God, what a day." Aizawa sighed out and looked up at the ceiling.
He didn't look up for long when he felt something rub against his leg. Looking down, Aizawa smiled at Tora. "Hey, kitty." Leaning down he picked his cat up. Aizawa frowned. Tora felt lighter than usual. "Have you lost weight? We can't have that."
