Izuku sat at the kitchen table with Shouta and Hitoshi. Akiosho's punishment would be discussed more the following day with Nedzu without the interruption of the others. Akisho was pretty shaken up after what happened between him and Cujo, to which Izuku did apologize for Cujo's actions, but the damage was done.

Yagi sighed as he walked up to the table, to which everyone looked at him. "So…the vestiges? What did they have to say?" He inquired.

"I was just about to ask," Cujo interjected suddenly. This made Izuku blink and then reach up to scratch his head.

"Well- what in the world?" Feeling something against the back of his head. It wasn't easy to pull out as it was ensnared in his curls, but after he managed to yank it out (taking a whole lock of hair with him) he looked at it. "Uh?" He looked at his family for an explanation.

"It's mine." Cujo suddenly took a hold of Izuku's hand and pulled the hair tie in close.

"Okay, Okay. I apologize." Izuku put the hair tie around his wrist and then looked back at the others. He sighed deeply at the memory of his, apparently long, conversation he had with the vestiges. "Back to the question you asked. I think it would be easier if I just tell you everything that happened from the beginning."

"Nine!" Yoichi rushed to Izuku. Yoichi held on to Izuku tightly. "I'm glad you're okay! I was worried that quirk had hurt you."

Yoichi was quick to help Izuku to his feet. It was strange, when Izuku looked at Yoichi he just couldn't help but feel how uncanny he looked. Yoichi and Cujo looked so much alike, and since Cujo looked like Izuku, that meant Izuku and Yoichi must look alike. Or was it just the straight white hair?

"I'm fine…" Izuku breathed as he looked at those surrounding him. "I-" something between a scream and gasp left his mouth when one of the vestiges, one that shared an uncanny appearance to Bakugo only they had a scar on their face, rushed up to him.

"Why should we trust this one!? He's the son of the man who killed all of us!" The ghost snarled in Izuku's face. Izuku took a step back and Yoichi put his hand on Izuku's back.

"I-I-..." Izuku shook a little. He then shook his head. "I didn't know…" He breathed out.

"That is not an excuse!-"

"Two." Yoichi reached over and put his arm between Two and Izuku. "Enough. He's not lying. We know that brother of his has been wiping his memories." He stated firmly.

"Fuck! I knew Eight made a mistake choosing this one!" Two roared in anger.

The only female in the group sighed and turned away. This made Izuku look at her for a few seconds before he set his jaw and clenched his teeth. "Look, you're all upset at me for something my biological father did, but- I don't even know what he did! I don't know what he wants! You act like I'm sitting in his lap at this moment! I didn't know he was alive until recently!" Izuku hissed as he looked at the seven-and-a-half vestiges that surrounded him.

Yoichi gave a sigh. "You really don't know?"

Izuku shook his head. "No, I don't."

"Your other self didn't tell you?"

"Like he would know! Cujo only knows what I know! Granted he has his memories still intact, but even then. He's not All for One reincarnated! He's- He's Cujo he's lashing out because he's been hurt in the past. He takes quirks because that is what All for One instilled in him!"

"Cujo? You named it?" One of the vestiges- a man with half of his face hidden by his costume- spoke next as he took a step toward Izuku.

"It was easier than constantly calling him 'the other me.' which he does to me all the time." Izuku crossed his arms as he resisted the urge to correct the vestige. That Cujo wasn't an 'it' nor a 'thing'. There was a whisper amongst the vestiges as they talked to one another.

"Well, for now, I guess I should tell you the story. The story behind my brother- your father- the story of two brothers…"

So, Yoichi delved into the long story of how there was a sickly quirkless brother who had a brother that could take quirks. Izuku listened and hung on to every word Yoichi spoke to him. Yoichi discovered he had a quirk. A stockpile quirk. A quirk that he could pass down if he wished. Instead of taking, he gave. This quirk was one his brother wanted desperately. So desperately that when the quirk was passed down to the one known as Second he swore he would get that quirk even if it was the last thing he ever did.

Izuku didn't interrupt, he let Yoichi speak. Speak on a two-hundred-plus war that was still going on. About how six of the, now nine, face All for One, and only one survived. That one person? Toshinori.

"Six? Meaning only one of you didn't face off against him? All for One, I mean?"

"That would be me." Number Four, Hikage, said to Izuku. "I never confronted him, instead, I hid away in Solitude and focused on getting One for All stronger for my successor. I died at an early age." He stated softly.

"I-..." Izuku shut his mouth. "I apologize." He told all the vestiges that surrounded him. He even bowed to all of them. "I can't imagine the terror you all faced." A couple of vestiges grumbled at him as he straightened up. "If I would have known of my biological father, I never would have accepted the quirk. Hell, if I knew of Cujo's existence, I would never have accepted it. I swear." Izuku told them all. "I never wanted power, I thought I was quirkless."

He felt like an ant begging for forgiveness from a giant. He swallowed hard and looked around at the vestiges one by one. "I am more than happy to give the quirk back to Toshinori so you can get the tenth successor you deserve. I'm more than happy to move on from this and to just focus my attention on-"

"-Actually, we talked about it." Yoichi cut him off. "We think, despite your heritage-"

"-My heritage isn't All for One. My heritage is Shouta Aizawa. I'm Izuku Aizawa." Izuku cut him off slightly.

"Regardless. We think, perhaps, we can make this work."

Izuku perked. "Really?" He asked softly. "Why?" He took a step back as he became wary of their intentions. "What do you want from me?" He inquired as he steeled himself.

"You're a good person and we feel that you're what we need to beat All for One, your biological father."

"You don't have to remind me every time that he's the reason I'm alive." Izuku shook his head. "Regardless: Why do I feel there's a catch? What do you want from me?" He demanded as he eyed Yoichi up.

"Cujo has to go."

"I can't just get rid of my quirk."

"We'll do to him what he did to us. We'll keep him tied with the help of Banjo's quirk. He'll be out of your way-"

"-No." Izuku shook his head. "I refuse."

"He's dangerous!" Two yelled as he approached Izuku. "He attacked us. He cannot be trusted."

"He attacked you because you attacked me! He perceived you as a threat!" Izuku barked back at Two.

"We saw him as the threat that he is-"

"The only reason Cujo made himself known is because I was fighting Stain, the hero serial killer! I'm willing to be that Cujo was very much aware of your presence before that. Cujo even said it was because of One for All that he was able to wake up faster and faster every time."

"Nine. He tried to kill you-" Yoichi tried to reason with Izuku, but Izuku wasn't having it.

"Because I provoked him. Were you not there? You tried to stop me! Cujo isn't a monster." Izuku told them all firmly. "I'm sorry, but I'm not locking him up, no again. I'll just give the quirk back to Yagi-"

It was number two, again, the man coming up to Izuku's face. "-You'd rather get rid of One for All and keep your monster of a quirk-"

"Cujo!" Izuku, now growing agitated, turned and got right into Two's face. "His name is Cujo! Were you even listening?! He's not a monster!"

"Enough." Yoichi got between the two of them before the altercation could expand and become dangerous. "Two go- just go-" Yoichi flicked his wrist. "All of you. Go. let me talk to Nine, alone, please."

The vestiges looked uneasy as they stared at Izuku like he was going to harm Yoichi. Still, one by one the vestiges vanished. Soon, it was just the two of them. "...Okay…Uncle to Nephew…" Yoichi sighed as he looked Izuku right in the eyes. "Why are you suddenly so ready to bat for Cujo?"

"Because he's a part of me. He's not the monster you and nearly everyone else want to make of him. I'm being for real. He's making strides to change himself. He actually told me to go to someone else with a sentient quirk to learn about control. He wants me to control him and to get better. I know you were locked away, and I know you couldn't witness it, but I just wish you'd give him a chance. However; I'm aware that's unfair to ask of you. So, I'm not going to ask. Instead, I'll just let Yagi give the quirk to someone more deserving. Someone who doesn't have the quirk of the man who haunted and harmed you all."

Yoichi frowned. "I-... You're serious?"

"I'll have to talk to Cujo, he doesn't want to get rid of it, but I think he could be swayed."

A slow sigh left Yoichi's mouth. He gently patted Izuku's shoulder. "The thing is. Izuku… I see you and you're what I think of when I think of One for All. I don't think there is anyone better." He whispered while he tightened his grip on Izuku's shoulder. "The others agree with me. Even number Two. It's just…it's Cujo. We can't work with the quirk that tried to harm us-"

"But he didn't," Izuku told Yoichi softly as if it just occurred to him. "He locked you away. He made it a point to do so. He just wanted you guys locked away. The only person he threatened to kill, outside of Stain, was… me. And, again, it's because I provoked him into doing so."

Yoichi opened his mouth to argue and he stopped with a frown.

"Cujo was never bad. He was only protecting me." Izuku shook his head. "He's a quirk who's out of control, yes, but he's trying. He's not All for One."

"You won't consider having us lock Cujo away?"

"Not even for a second. Cujo spent most of his life locked away. He's finally free. I'm-" Izuku gave a little awkward laugh as he felt tears build behind his eyes. He then ran his fingers through his curls as if to get his hair out of his face. "-I can't do that to him. I'm sorry."

"I… let me talk to the others." Yoichi suddenly vanished before Izuku's eyes.

"And then there was one," Izuku whispered to himself. He looked around the void he was stuck in. He wanted to run off, to check on Cujo, who was left unchecked running around, but Izuku found himself stuck. Some sort of black mass was blocking him in. Keeping him from running to Cujo-

'No. They're keeping Cujo out. Not keeping me in, there's a difference.' Izuku deduced as he looked around for any sort of exit. There was none, and he could just pop out of existence like the ghosts that haunt this quirk. "Reminder to self: Throttle Toshinori for not mentioning the vestiges sooner." He grumbled.

With nothing to do, Izuku eventually layed down. He laid flat on his back and stared up at the nothingness before him. "So. These people have their own quirks…" He mused. "It's the only reason I have for that mass. It's the same thing that grabbed me as well."

He had no clue how long he lay there on his back. He knew it had to be for a lengthy amount of time as he eventually dozed off. He was awoken when someone kicked his foot slightly, making him jump. "Huh?" Izuku scanned around and relaxed as he stared at Yoichi. Yoichi crouched down beside Izuku's legs and Izuku sat up.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Izuku blinked at such a simple word.

"We're willing to give him a chance if he's as you say. If he's just a quirk that lost his way, then we're willing to give him time to correct himself. However; he's only getting this one chance from us. No more quirk-taking, unless necessary. I mean your life better be in danger. We will be watching him. In fact, we were watching him while you were away. And… I have to say, I was impressed. He wanted Bakugo's quirk. We could see it, but he didn't take it and you weren't there to tell him not to."

Izuku breathed out lowly. "Thank you. It won't be perfect, but we're going to do all we can.-"

"-I'm not done. If Cujo fails, if he takes a quirk from an unwilling participant or if he attacks us unjustly again, we won't hesitate to lock him away, your permission be damned. Understood?" Yoichi extended his hand.

Izuku narrowed his eyes. 'if you lock him away, I'm giving this quirk stray dog. Toshinori be damned.' He thought in aggression, but he never let his frustration or aggression show as he brought his hand out and took Yoichi's hand in it. "Heard."

"Good." The black mass around them died down.

"Let's see what he's doing now." It was like magic as Yoichi was able to see into the outside world. It allowed Izuku to look out just the same. "Ah. He's getting ready to stab someone-"

Izuku would never run as fast as he did at that moment.

"So, now you all know. The vestiges gave Cujo a chance. They want to stay with me. Why? Personally, I think it's one final fuck you to All for One. Who better than his own son to challenge him… but that being said-" Izuku scooted out of his chair and approached Toshinori. His reaction was swift as was his anger. "How dare you not inform me of any of this! Of All for One killing six people before you! You don't think I deserved to know that this quirk would put me in the middle of a war!?" He curled his lip at his mentor and slammed his hands on the table.

"I thought he was dead, Young Aizawa."

"Well, he's not! He's still out there!"

Hitoshi ticked his tongue against the roof of his mouth then he looked at Toshinori. "Call it intuition, but I knew. The moment I heard of the quirk's name that you were bringing that bastard back to us. You basically brought him to our front doorstep. You doomed us all."

"What if you just hand the quirk back?" Shouta asked Izuku. "Would that take All for One off of our scent?"

"No." Cujo interjected firmly as he stalked away from Toshinori. "It will not, because the vestiges do not wish for a new host. Because I can take quirks I can read what a quirk entails. They, if deemed fit, can, and will, transfer a quirk back to their desired host."

"So, why didn't they do that while they were locked up?!" Hitoshi demanded. "They knew you were dangerous, they could have taken and given it back to Toshinori."

"I have a couple of theories on that-He's faster than I am on the theories- Shush. First theory: The transfer needs to be fresh in order for that to happen. Say, the other me gives the quirk back now. The vestiges can transfer it back to Izuku because his DNA is still 'fresh.' so to speak. Or, my second theory: They didn't do it because they couldn't. They were locked away. Third theory: They really want the other me to be the holder. So, they risked it and hoped he would allow me to be locked away." Cujo explained to everyone at the table.

"All make sense," Shouta mumbled and thrummed his fingers against the table in thought. "Toshinori. I want to say this: I will never forgive you for this. You put my family in serious danger. You should have warned Izuku beforehand of the quirk. It doesn't matter if you thought the asshole was dead or not. We can't even get this guy off our back because six ghosts get to decide my child's fate as a pawn in their war."

"If it isn't one side it's the other." Hitoshi shook his head as he suddenly pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. "It's not fair… I just want to move on with my life…" he sucked in a shuddering breath as he said this. His voice quivered and shook with each word as cries threatened to leave. Shouta patted Hitoshi's shoulder.

Izuku looked away with a sigh. Cujo took over, just enough to take over Izuku's eyes, nothing more. Cujo reached over to touch Hitoshi's shoulder but paused when Hitoshi brought his hands down and looked at him. Then, he gently touched Hitoshi's shoulder and copied Shouta's movement by gently patting it. Then, he gave Izuku control. Izuku gently squeezed Hitoshi's shoulder. "It's not over. Not yet. I-I-" Izuku sucked in a breath. "I'm not happy about this." He admitted. "Truthfully, I would have preferred to give the quirk back, but that's no longer an option. So, we're reversing our roles."

"Huh?" Hitoshi sniffled in confusion.

"You've always protected me, hell, you practically smothered me up until recently. Now, it's my turn. I'm going to protect you, no matter the cost." Izuku squeezed his brother's shoulder just a little tighter to show his seriousness. "All for One isn't getting to you. Not again. I'm going to make it my mission to ensure that you're never going back to him. That he will never have you in his clutches again."

Hitoshi looked at his brother, stunned. Completely and utterly stunned. "But…all I did to you-"

"You listen to me. You are my brother. I will never give you to All for One. No matter what you've done. It's the same with Cujo. You're trying to be better. I can see it. Just because of your past doesn't mean you deserve to be treated like a monster."

"Touching, really. It is." Shouta came up and put a hand on both boys' shoulders. "But you both are forgetting something. Me. I'm the parent. I'm your protector." He crouched down and wrapped both arms around his boys. Pulling them both into a hug. "We're getting through this together," he told them both. "All three of us."


You put everything on the line for me.

"I did," Izuku commented out loud as he quietly peeled the cucumbers for dinner. Hitoshi was also peeling, peeling potatoes, but he was doing so by the sink. Yagi left not too long ago. Now it was just them all getting ready to prepare dinner. Their dad was at the counter chopping onions while keeping an eye on the skillet.

Why? I nearly killed you.

'Because you're not pure evil. You're not malicious. You're just a quirk who needs training. And we're going to work on that training.'

I've done terrible things.

'As has Hichan. I love him all the same.'

You're supposed to hate me!

'I don't. Neither does Dad, and I think Hichan is even starting to warm up to you.

Cujo huffed through his nose at this. You wouldn't say that if you had your memories, you know that. If you remembered the horrible things I did-

'My memories…shit. I nearly forgot.' Izuku put the peeler down and looked to his father. "Dad?"

"Hm?"

"When's my next appointment with Dr. Watasumi? It's been what? Two months since my last appointment?" He scratched at the back of his head. Shouta stopped looking at the skillet as he turned to Izuku.

"...Heh… I'll get one booked for as soon as possible. With everything that's happened… well, I don't think you can blame me for forgetting." Shouta shook his head, which made Izuku nod, satisfied.

"Yeah, I believe someone mentioned something about family therapy too?" Hitoshi pushed a little as he then turned to Shouta just the same.

Again, their father paused. "Er… herm." Shouta cleared his throat. "I'll see about Hound Dog squeezing us in after school one day." He tried to play it cool and went back to the skillet and onions alike.

"...and I think someone mentioned-" Before Izuku could finish he was pelted with a full onion to the head. "Hey!" He laughed and somehow that's how the three of them wound up in a vegetable fight. Vegetables flew and the laughter was loud as the three of them were just trying to have some semblance of fun. Izuku threw a cucumber that struck Hitoshi in the head, so he retaliated by tossing a half-cut potato. Izuku ducked and the potato hit their father.

It was just chaos, a fun kind of chaos. A type of chaos that caused Cujo to laugh hysterically.

At one point Shouta tried to chuck another onion at Izuku, Izuku used object attraction and brought it to his hand directly, just to immediately throw it right back at his father. The sound the onion made when it got Shouta Aizawa directly in the forehead was glorious. His dad's head whipped back at the force. Then he threw his head forward. There was a gleam in his eye and Izuku knew he was in for it. He tried to use his quirk to jump away, but his father was faster with his own quirk.

Izuku could only brace himself as he was tackled. The two of them immediately started to play wrestle. With his father just trying to get Izuku to admit defeat. Izuku laughed as he squirmed and struggled against his father's hold.

"You-" Izuku somehow was on his back with his father above him, only to be stopped by Izuku's one hand. Granted, His dad was clearly going easy, being mindful of Izuku's injured arm. "-Fell right in my trap!" Izuku grinned.

Hitoshi dropped down like a fallen angel. He was swift and wrapped his legs around their dad to keep him still. "Whoa!" Was the actual nose their father made as he pulled back and off of Izuku when Hitoshi used his arms to do so. Hitoshi then put their father in a simple headlock.

"Ha!" Hitoshi cheered once he got their father pinned between his body perfectly.

"Alright, alright, you got me…" Shouta sighed once Hitoshi let up and undid the headlock. "Logical Ruse!" Hitoshi had no time to prepare for the tackle and thus was thrown to the floor a heap with Shouta.

"Dog pile!" Izuku roared as he joined in the pile directly and threw himself with them. The three of them were just a tangle of limbs on the floor until they all stopped just to catch their breath.

"Heh…" Hitoshi laughed. It was a soft laugh that started to grow. His laugh caused Izuku to laugh, and soon even Shouta joined in on the laughter. Then, once the laughter was done, they just lay there on the floor next to the vegetables that they were supposed to be having for dinner.

"Well…" Shouta sat up and smiled a little as he picked up an onion that had exploded. "I don't think we're having these for dinner anymore. Oh well…" He fell back down on the ground. He realized he was sandwiched between both Hitoshi and Izuku respectfully. "I'm surprised Cujo didn't come out." He told Izuku.

"He's been laughing too hard." Izuku laughed a little while smiling. It was true. Cujo's been laughing since the vegetable fight.

Hitoshi sighed. "We should clean up and then figure something else out for dinner."

Shouta nodded. "Yeah. We should." He would vocalize it, but Shouta really wished things could just stay like this, but, he knew better. Years of being underground, years of being a hero, told him better. So, he knew to savor this moment for as long as he possibly could before it could be taken from him and changed. So, when Hitoshi was the first to get up, he pounced. Shouta wrapped his arms around Hitoshi's middle and did something he never did. He tickled Hitoshi.

"WAH!" Was the surprised shriek Hitoshi produced. Hitoshi slapped a hand over his own mouth to stop himself from laughing like that again. Hitoshi wiggled in his father's grasp like a worm on a hook, trying desperately to free himself from this torture while shrieks of laughter left his mouth.

Red eyes stared at him curiously. Cujo tilted Izuku's head in question at this action.

Shouta soon had new prey in his line of sight while a devilish grin spread across his face.

"Sav-save yourself!" Hitoshi cried to Cujo, but it was too late. Shouta pounced.

Tomorrow, when his students would inevitably ask about the new black eye he received when Cujo (accidentally) kicked him in the face from the tickle attack he would tell them some B.S. about a wanna-be Yakuza trying to hold up a store.

I wanted fluff. Lots of angst has been happening lately. So, fluff! (slightly bitter-sweet but fluff regardless!) But I have NOT forgotten about Dr. Watasumi! I never have! I just never had a good time to bring her back in. Not with the sports festival after the USJ, and then the internships, and then learning about Cujo! So, now, now that I've given myself a little break up with the finals I can bring her back. Finally.