-Shouta's POV-

Part of what Shinobu had told me about her memories of Mic's father had me concerned, so I decided that I needed to ask him about it. So, while Shinobu was training Amajiki, I told her I had some work to take care of, and I couldn't help her with training today. She simply nodded without question, but I had a feeling she knew it wasn't completely work related. Shinobu was sharp as a tack, so the fact that she hadn't pressed the issue showed me just how much she trusted me which I appreciated since I was well aware her trust did not come easily.

Wasting no time, since I knew it was Mic's planning period, I texted him and asked him to come to my classroom since he didn't have one of his own. His loud voice announced his arrival before his crazy cockatiel looking hairstyle did.

"ERASER MY MAN! How's it goin?" he greeted loudly causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance at his loud attitude.

"Not in the mood, Mic. Shut the door," I stated bluntly, not wanting to waste any time. Sensing the heaviness in my expression and tone, Mic did as I asked without question before sitting in the chair Shinobu had pulled up earlier.

"What's going on, Shouta? It's not like you to ask to talk? I can't fix all of yours and Nobu-chan's relationship problems, ya know?" he asked, teasing at the last comment to try and lighten the atmosphere. I closed my eyes and sighed in frustration.

"Look, Hizashi. I need to know about Shinobu's relationship with your father. Does she have any good memories with him?" I asked bluntly with my eyes still closed. After a moment of silence, I opened my eyes to see that Hizashi had removed his sunglasses and was pinching the bridge of his nose, a solemn expression on his usually bright face. That alone spoke volumes, but this was THE PresentMic. He wouldn't answer a question without speaking.

"My father blamed Nobu for what happened to her father. He resented her for the accident with her quirk, and never bothered to listen to the doctors who tried to explain to him the issue with the quirk suppressants. And Nobu took all the abuse from him," Hizashi explained, his green eyes starting to gloss over a bit, "She always claimed that the worst he would do is yell at her, but… I would catch bruises on her. She always said they were from training, but she'd gain new ones while I was at my internships and stuff. She never complained, never argued with my dad when he told her she was a villain and that everything was her fault. Hell, Shouta, even my mom joined in when it got to the name calling." I frowned at this.

"They did all of this in front of you and didn't even listen or read the reports?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow, not fully believing that Hizashi would have stood by and let all this happen when he was at home. To my relief, the blonde hero shook his head.

"No. I mean they would sneak rude comments in when I was still living at home and I suspect that my dad might have hit her while I was busy with my internship, but I was only home for the first year after the accident. After that, I moved out and was doing full time hero work, so I never really got to visit," he explained, a guilty frown spreading across his face, "I didn't even put all the pieces about the abuse together until Nobu was close to graduating from U.A. Even then, she still denied it, and without her trying to file a report, there really wasn't much I could do. It was just suspicions."

Now, I've always considered myself a highly rational person, but hearing how Shinobu had been treated by the people who were supposed to be raising her after the accident had my mind shifting to some very irrational possibilities as to what I could do about this. One of which included going and tying Hizashi's dad upside down from a streetlamp and letting him hang there until someone found him. Maybe the blood rushing to his head would help him think straight. However, I took a few deep breaths before looking at Hizashi who now looked devastated, and I felt my anger soften a bit. The loud blonde may have had a lot of little things that annoyed me, but he was still my best friend. I didn't want him to think I blamed him for what happened.

"I'm coming to dinner with you guys to Saturday night's dinner," is what came out of my mouth as I got up and placed my hand firmly on the voice hero's shoulder instead of the words of comfort I had been trying to come up with, causing him to jump up in surprise. Despite how I was with Shinobu, I still very much struggled in the communication and comfort department, and while comforting her came a bit more naturally, I still found myself struggling. Instead, all I had been able to do was state the solution I had decided on.

"Woah! Eraser, are you sure that's a good idea? I know you want to be there for Nobu-chan, but don't you want to let things settle before you go have dinner with the family?" Hizashi exclaimed nervously. I shrugged.

"I've eaten dinner with your family before. Your parents don't need to know this is different," I responded before continuing when I noticed the irritated look that quickly spread across Mic's face, "I'm not ashamed of Shinobu. I just don't want your parents to act different on account of me dating her. She is stronger than you think, Mic, but I want to be there to encourage her. Not to fight her battles for her." At that, a soft smile spread across his face.

"You're pretty crazy about her, huh, Sho," Hizashi commented more than asked, but I nodded in response with a sigh.

"That woman is something else. She makes me act irrational, and for some reason, that doesn't piss me off," I admitted as I ran my hand through my messy black hair before going to the door of Class 1-A and turning to Hizashi to ask one more question, "By the way, Mic, what hospital are Shinobu's parents at?" His thin blonde brows furrowed at that question.

"Nakameguro General Hospital psyche ward. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Can Shinobu be your TA for the rest of the day?" I responded without answering his question.

"Of course. But Shouta, what are you planning to do?" Mic pushed more aggressively with his question. I shrugged my shoulders as I smirked to myself, stopping in the doorway to answer Hizashi's question without facing him.

"Something irrational."

"Welcome to Nakameguro General Hospital. How can I help you?" the nurse greeted meekly without looking up from her computer.

"I'm here to visit Mr. And Mrs. Yamada," I answered, causing her to look up at me with suspicion.

"You aren't on their approved visitors list," she responded curtly. Cursing my own irrationality but refusing to back down for the sake of one silver-haired heroine, I pulled out my hero license and held it up.

"I'm here to talk to them regarding an investigation," I stated firmly, my tired no nonsense expression and tone reverting to what I use most often during work. She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.

"Then why did you say you were here to visit?" she questioned causing me to narrow my eyes at her. I know she was doing her job, but I did NOT have time for this today.

"Because the investigation I am doing is not supposed to be public knowledge. I'm an underground hero. I don't do big investigations that a lot of people know about. It was for their safety," I responded without missing a beat. I had done a lot of undercover work before I became a teacher. Lying on the fly was a skill I had become very good at as a result. The nurse in front of me looked momentarily guilty before nodding her head in understanding.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Eraserhead. Please go back there. And I'm assuming for safety purposes, you need this visit off of the books," she asked, as I let out an internal sigh of relief as I nodded stoically. Starting to feel really thankful for all those years of undercover work right about now. As soon as I nodded, the nurse got up and motioned for me to follow her. I did as I was told until we reached Room 402. There was a sign on the outside with two names on it: Yamada Daichi and Yamada Koharu.

"Mr. And Mrs. Yamada, there's someone here to see you," the nurse called softly as she opened the door after knocking. The room I was let into was similar to a studio apartment, but there was no place to cook or anything like that of course. Inside the room was a woman who looked shockingly like Shinobu in the face. She had dark brown hair peppered with gray that fell down in gentle waves to just past her shoulders, dark blue eyes, and from what I could see from the profile view I had of her, she even had a spattering of freckles across her cheeks. The man in the room, who I could only assume to be Shinobu's father, had blonde and gray hair and sharp features and bright green eyes that seemed to be the common trademark for the Yamada family.

They both turned to face me as the nurse excused herself, shutting the door behind her which I was very thankful for. Koharu, Shinobu's mom, had eyes that were full of life and awareness, not at all what I expected from someone who I had assumed was doped up on anti-psychotics most of the time. She approached me, but it was Daichi, Shinobu's father, who spoke.

"Who are you?" the man asked in a gruff voice. I took a silent deep breath before opening my eyes and saying the words that would either get me kicked out of this hospital permanently or change the lives of this family forever.

"My name is Aizawa Shouta. I'm your daughter Shinobu's boyfriend."

A/N:

I'm soooo sorry it took me so long to update! My depression and anxiety have been all over the place, but I'm going to do my best to update consistently again. But until I really get myself together, I may have to just settle for posting one update a week. If I can though, I will do more. Also, sorry not sorry for the cliffhanger. :) Love Always, Taeha.