"Someone end my suffering."

"You need a break, Young Midoriya."

"I'll have a break when I'm dead."

"We both need a break, then."

Izuku was delighted to be back in Japan, but he was less delighted by the amount of work he came back to. Just looking at it was exhausting. Yagi looked even more exhausted than Izuku felt - fair, since he'd been handling the more time-sensitive parts of Izuku's workload in addition to his own Secretary of State position.

They hadn't really talked about Izuku's accidental term of address over the phone, but Yagi seemed to be in a better mood ever since. There was an added warmth to their chats over Japan's state of affairs that wasn't there before. That was nice, especially since Hisashi had become weirdly reclusive and withdrawn after that first day in New York. If Rick hadn't mentioned Hisashi's blatant string-pulling, combined with a series of notable international diplomats and figures who wanted to meet Izuku, he might've thought that Hisashi was avoiding him. Izuku had hoped for more bonding time with his newly-returned parental figure; but as usual, Yagi filled that role far better than Izuku's actual father.

Not that Izuku didn't appreciate the help, but he would've preferred Hisashi's presence rather than this… stealth assistance. How did Hisashi even know so many people, he wondered? A lot of his businesses did deal with imports and exports, but these were political figures. True, many of them ran in the same circles, but… maybe he was reading too much into things.

Back to the conversation at hand. "I don't think a break's likely to happen until elections are over and I've stepped down," Izuku said from his customary position of his head resting on the desk in front of him.

"What about something small, my boy? You haven't had dinner with your friends since before all this. I'm sure everyone could use the time off."

That… was actually a good point. Izuku had noticed Momo just about dying on her feet the last time she'd dropped in with a report, and the janitorial crew reported that the Todoroki brothers were starting to scare their coworkers with the sheer intensity with which they approached their work. Iida and Uraraka hadn't left their departments in weeks, as far as Izuku knew.

There wasn't time for a proper vacation, but they all needed a little time to destress and decompress.

"You're right," Izuku said. "Let's have dinner." He raised his head, and sighed at the paperwork that greeted him. "After I've caught up a bit."

Catching up wasn't that simple, and by the time Izuku had finally worked his way through the backlog that had built up over the past week, he had another thing to do: announce the details of the promised Villain Amnesty Program. After checking on the progress of government reforms, Izuku found an even better piece of news: enough was on track that they could finally set a date for elections to commence.

He decided to announce the Amnesty Program first - he had mentioned it at the UN - and then announce elections the week after. While Izuku wanted everything to be finished now, public support was crucial in ensuring that the new government wouldn't redact Izuku's promises. Still, it was the perfect opportunity for a celebratory dinner with his friends and former teachers, set for the evening before the press conference on the Amnesty Program. It would be a quiet affair, held in one of the government meeting rooms and catered by a business that Izuku was quietly chagrined to realize belonged to himself.

It seemed like forever since he'd seen everyone in one place. Izuku hadn't quite realized how much he missed them until he was surrounded by the excited, familiar chatter of Class 1-A. Aizawa lurked gloomily in the background as always, with Yamada buzzing around him. Izuku never quite got over what an unlikely duo they were. Yagi was already sitting at the table, looking happier than Izuku had seen him the past few months.

Izuku chuckled to himself when yelling exploded from a corner of the room. Yes, Class 1-A wasn't quite the same without Bakugou. He'd reluctantly entrusted his mother's safety to Gigantomachia for the night in order to make sure he was included.

He wasn't sure what knot of chattering classmates to approach first, until Uraraka and Iida ran up to him.

"Deku! It's been forever! I've missed you."

"Midoriya! It's a pleasure to see you. We've all been busy, and gathering everyone was an excellent idea."

"Thanks, Iida. I've missed you both, too. How have you been?"

Uraraka launched into an excited explanation of how she was helping her father update infrastructure policies to allow looser restrictions on quirk use in construction. After that, Iida took his turn with a proud retelling of his brother's hard work in welfare reform. Izuku had signed off on the changes to the regulations himself, but the pride in their voices brought a warm smile to his face.

They were helping so many people. Maybe they weren't out fighting villains, but this was important, too.

Uraraka seemed to agree. "I miss hero work, but it's nice knowing that people like me who want to use their quirks to help their families can do that now. And Dad seems happy."

"Good," Izuku said. A thought occurred. "Maybe he should apply for the Department of Infrastructure again after the elections are over. Your brother should apply for the Welfare department, too, Iida."

"My brother would be honored to continue to assist people if he is able to do so!" Iida waved his hand in an abrupt motion.

"I can't promise if either will get in - I won't be in charge any more - but they have relevant experience, so that should help their chances." If it was up to Izuku, he'd happily keep both on as ministers of their departments. Uraraka's father and Iida's brother had been invaluable, bringing first-hand experience in their fields to their positions. Momo's mother was the same, though she had businesses to return to when this ridiculousness was over.

"I'll tell my dad!" Uraraka beamed. "But that's enough about work! Come on, Deku, everyone misses you."

Izuku let himself be dragged over to join the rest of the class and their chatter. Bakugou almost looked happy to see him. Izuku only received two death threats.

Dinner arrived, and everyone chaotically grabbed food from the buffet table and settled into spots around the massive table in the center of the room. Izuku found himself next to Todoroki.

"Midoriya. I apologize," Todoroki said abruptly as Izuku took a bite.

Izuku nearly choked but managed to swallow the rice. "For what?" he sputtered.

"I know you said you weren't All Might's secret love child during our first year, but I never fully believed you. I'm sorry."

Izuku carefully placed his chopsticks down before Todoroki found another way to make him choke on his meal. No one appeared to be paying attention. This was the wrong place for this conversation, but Todoroki apparently had other ideas. "It's alright. We're pretty close, I know."

"Endeavor apologized, and I eventually forgave him. But that didn't change everything he'd done, or suddenly make him a good father. I thought if you and All Might..." Todoroki paused. "I thought that if you and All Might were family, it'd make things better, somehow."

Izuku tilted his head in confusion. "Better?"

"It gave me hope that things aren't always like that. That probably sounds strange."

"No, that makes sense. You wanted a better model for a family than the one you had, right?" Izuku stared across the table where Yagi was chatting with Aizawa.

Todoroki nodded. "That's probably it."

"You might be more right than you know. We're not related by blood, but we're family anyway."

"How does that work?"

He hadn't figured it out himself, not fully, but his friend needed to hear this. "Family is supposed to be about love and support and a foundation to grow on." Not that Izuku had often had that, but he thought that was it. "Your real family is supposed to offer that, but sometimes they don't. People outside your family aren't required to offer that, but sometimes they do. Yagi-san has been that for me ever since we met, and I think that makes him family."

Todoroki looked contemplative. "And what about your real family?"

"It's not a zero-sum game, Todoroki. When you add more people to your family, it expands your family. No one has to leave to make room. And I don't think there's as much of a difference as people make between 'blood' family and chosen family." Izuku smiled. Yagi met his eyes from halfway down the table, and the shy smile on Yagi's face made Izuku's widen. "In a way, Class 1-A is part of my family, too. Even with my father reappearing… that doesn't make Yagi-san any less of a father to me. But that doesn't mean I have to reject my father, either."

Izuku was still coming to terms with that concept himself. But Todoroki had been struggling between the abrupt demise of his own father, and the reintroduction of his long-lost brother. Izuku hadn't seen Todoroki much over the past few weeks, but he knew his friend; Todoroki was sure to be struggling with understanding how to look at family right now. Maybe even more than Izuku was.

"You're my family, too," Todoroki said decisively.

Izuku felt his face flush. "Todoroki!"

"What?"

"I - uh - yes, thank you," Izuku stuttered.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to just... come out with it like that."

"That's adorable," said Tsuyu from across the table.

Izuku decided he'd respond to that after his face cooled down.

Todoroki looked between him and Tsuyu. "Did I say something wrong?" he repeated.

"Normally you wouldn't say it in public," Tsuyu responded. "Telling someone they're family is a personal thing. But you don't have as much of a problem with personal confessions as Midoriya does."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Midoriya. Next time I'll wait until we're in private."

Izuku was ready to combust now, no thanks to the person with the half-fire quirk sitting next to him. "Thanks, Tsu," he finally managed in a tired voice.

Tsuyu blinked. "You could be a bit more confident, you know," she said. "If you haven't told Yagi-san that he's like a father to you, you should. It's easy for us to see, but it's important to talk about these things."

"Weeeell," Izuku said, shrinking into his seat.

"Something happened, didn't it?" Why was she so perceptive?

"I accidentally… calledhimDadonthephonelastweek," Izuku said in a rush.

"Oh. Well, you should talk with him about that."

"I don't know how to," Izuku groaned, putting his face in his hands. Todoroki carefully patted his back.

"Oooh," Uraraka chimed in from next to Tsuyu, where she'd turned away from her own conversation, "Why is Deku embarrassed now?"

"He needs to talk to Yagi-san about how he thinks of him as a father," Tsuyu said mercilessly.

"It's not that simple," Izuku protested. "I don't even know what to do with… with Hisashi. I need to figure that out before I can talk to Yagi-san, I think." After his previous conversation with Yagi on the subject, he knew Yagi would worry about coming between Izuku and Hisashi if it weren't cleared by everyone.

"Talk to him too," Tsuyu said, as if it were that simple. "He might be jealous of Yagi-san, but tell him what you told Todoroki about family. He should be able to accept that you have other people you care about."

"Yeah! Yagi-san's great, so there shouldn't be any problem!"

Izuku picked up his chopsticks. "I'll think about it," Izuku said noncommittally.

Tsuyu and Uraraka looked at each other. Izuku had a sinking feeling that they weren't about to let this go. They knew him too well. Sometimes that was a problem.

"You should go home tonight!" Uraraka said. "We'll keep Bakugou here, you deserve to spend a night at home anyway. I'm sure your mom misses you."

She probably did. Izuku hadn't been calling her as regularly as he should, but - "I'm not ready to talk to Hisashi tonight!"

"Will you ever be ready?" Tsuyu said, tilting her head.

"You should do it, Midoriya," Todoroki added. "It feels nice to admit."

Izuku resisted the urge to faceplant into his bowl of rice.

"Hey, Bakugou!" Uraraka called, "We're trying to make Deku go home to his parents after dinner! Want a night off?"

"Hell yes, he can deal with the fucker for a change," Bakugou yelled back. "Go home to your mom and your shitty dad, Deku."

"It is important to visit your family, Midoriya! Since you have taken a break from work, it is an excellent choice to spend it at home."

"I know you just got back from a trip with us, man, but you mostly spent it talking with diplomats. Your dad looked pretty down about it."

"Young Midoriya, your mother has been texting me that she misses you. It's a wonderful opportunity to see her."

"Go visit your parents, Problem Child."

"YEEEAH!"

Family didn't mean Izuku couldn't hate all of them right now.

Izuku nearly tried to skip out on going home anyway, but someone - probably Uraraka - stole his phone and texted his mother that he'd be coming home after dinner, corroborated by texts from Bakugou and Yagi. Aizawa even called Shirakumo, and a Warp Gate was waiting for Izuku after dinner was finished. Izuku wasn't left with much choice; he couldn't disappoint his mother.

He found himself straightening his vest nervously in front of his apartment's front door, which he opened.

Izuku hadn't closed the door before Inko was hugging him tightly. "I've missed you, honey."

"Sorry, Mom." He kept promising not to worry her, and then he kept leaving her in the dark. At least he had an excuse.

She held on for another long moment, and then reluctantly let go. "Machia said he'd be outside, he doesn't want to disturb us."

So someone had gotten Gigantomachia in on it, too. Lovely.

Izuku followed her to the living room awkwardly. Hisashi was there already… crocheting? Izuku still couldn't quite wrap his head around that, and chose to ignore it when the man put down the square he was working on with a smile that lit his face.

"Welcome home, Izuku," Hisashi said softly.

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck and dropped into a seat. "Yeah, uh, my friends all decided I should visit."

"I'll go make tea," his mother said cheerfully, leaving them alone.

They were left in silence. Hisashi didn't move to pick up his crochet.

"I… think I need to talk to you?" Izuku finally said.

"About what?" Hisashi asked cautiously.

"Us. This. Family." Izuku winced. He wasn't sure what to say. But annoying as it was, his friends were right. It wouldn't be right to keep pushing this aside.

Hisashi looked almost as uncertain as Izuku felt. "We could… do that, yes."

Izuku stared at his hands and fidgeted. He could feel Hisashi's eyes on him. "I think it's important," he muttered.

"Maybe we should talk in the park?"

That sounded like a great idea, actually. Izuku knew the one he was talking about - not far away from the house, probably abandoned right now. Neutral ground was best for serious discussions. "That sounds good. After tea?" He didn't want to lose too much time with his mother.

"After tea."

Inko returned soon with tea, and Izuku asked her about how she'd been. Izuku and Hisashi mostly listened in warm silence as she chattered about the small joys of managing the apartment building. She could hire someone, she said, but she liked having something to do with Izuku gone so much of the time. She was making friends with the neighbors, too - she'd brought cookies over to the family downstairs last week.

She also had started studying business online. Izuku was surprised, but after listening longer, he realized that he shouldn't be. Inko was happier with Hisashi home. She'd been left alone for so long, but now her husband was back and she was meeting people. Izuku couldn't help but be grateful that Hisashi had returned now. Izuku couldn't be here for her, but Hisashi, of all people, could.

Izuku sat and listened long after he'd finished his tea, both to put off the conversation with Hisashi and because he had missed his mom. He was glad she was happy. But, inevitably, she picked up the teacups and took them to the kitchen. Izuku sighed, stood, and yelled "We're taking a walk!"

"Okay, honey!"

Hisashi stood as well.

Izuku didn't see Gigantomachia anywhere when he left the apartment building, but the giant could be surprisingly stealthy when he wanted to be, so Izuku didn't think much of it. Hisashi followed him to the park. Izuku didn't start talking until they were both sitting on a bench, staring at the empty playground swings.

"I'm not saying this to hurt you," Izuku started abruptly. "But… having a good reason for not being there when I grew up doesn't change the fact that I grew up without a father. I didn't really have anyone besides Mom until I met All Might - Yagi-san - and he ended up taking that place."

He didn't turn to see Hisashi's expression. Hisashi was completely still beside him.

"But that doesn't mean I don't accept you as a father, too."

That obviously startled Hisashi. Izuku felt him turn, and Izuku looked into his widening eyes. "You do?"

"Yes," Izuku said, forcing himself to hold Hisashi's gaze. "You left to protect us, you've been trying to help however you can - and I want to get to know you. I want us to be family. Properly. I'll always think of Yagi-san as a father figure, but that's… it's not like I can only choose one person to care about. I… I hope you can accept that, I mean… I don't want you to be hurt, as I said, you've probably been hurt enough already and you had to give us up and -"

"You're rambling, Izuku."

Izuku shut his mouth.

Hisashi turned away, and Izuku took a deep breath, in and out, to calm himself.

"I won't pretend that it doesn't hurt to lose my son to All Might," Hisashi finally said. "Well, I would, but - I suppose I should answer your honesty in kind. I'm glad that you found people to depend on while I wasn't around, so I can accept it for your sake." He sighed. "Honestly, I'm lucky enough that you're willing to consider me a father at all."

Izuku nodded, and hesitantly reached out to touch Hisashi's shoulder. "Yeah. I… didn't think I would. But I do." Oh, this was so awkward.

"Would you… ah, never mind."

"What?"

Hisashi reached up to wrap his fingers over Izuku's resting on his shoulder. "What does family mean to you, Izuku?"

It helped that Izuku had already answered that question earlier. "Love. Support. A foundation."

Hisashi squeezed his hand. "A foundation?" he prompted.

Izuku ignored the urge to run away from this conversation. He'd much rather smash a villain's face in than talk about feelings. "I'm the person I am because of the people who've been there for me through everything. We've become stronger together. We rely on each other. I trust them. They're who I fell back on when I didn't know what to do about… all this." He waved his free hand. "They didn't know anything more about running a government than I did, but they found ways to help, and I knew everything would be okay, because they were here."

"Ah," Hisashi said. "I never thought of it like that."

"What do you think of family as, then?" Izuku hadn't really asked about Hisashi's family before.

Hisashi's face twisted in a grimace. "My parents were never really parents to my brother and I. And my brother… well, we had our differences. I don't think we ever really understood each other. We were always at odds. I would've done anything to protect him, but he didn't appreciate it."

Izuku shrugged. "Sometimes people would rather do the protecting." That hit a little close to home, considering how Izuku generally felt about being protected.

"I was the strong one, he was weak and sickly. It made sense to let me do the protecting." Hisashi shook his head. "All in the past, now. He's not around any more to argue the point."

Hisashi sounded lonely. Izuku wanted to pry further, but he still wanted an answer. "You didn't answer the question."

"I don't have such a neat answer as you, Izuku. Family, to me, is… people I'd do anything to protect." He shrugged. "That's it, I suppose."

"That seems remarkably one-sided."

"It is what it is. I was always the strong one, it's my duty to take care of them."

Izuku could see why that would be the case, between Hisashi's brilliance and wealth and the fire-breath quirk he still hadn't seen in action. That didn't make it right, that Hisashi was expected to bear everything himself. That he expected so much from himself. "That doesn't mean they can't help you, though. Healthy relationships are a two-way street. You're supposed to get something from it, too."

Hisashi laughed softly to himself, an unhappy sound, and released Izuku's hand. "Is that what it is to you? A transaction?"

"Not entirely." Izuku shrugged. "I'll happily protect people for no reward, myself. And sometimes family is unequal - a parent and child often is, for example. But they're not family if it's not at least a little mutual."

"I see," Hisashi murmured.

Izuku waited for him to speak, but Hisashi didn't continue. "That's what I think, anyway," Izuku finally said awkwardly.

"It's a foreign concept," Hisashi said. "But I suppose when it comes to a mutually beneficial and supportive relationship, Yagi does win over myself."

Izuku shook his head. This had been so easy when talking with his friends. "It's not a competition. I can care about multiple people at the same time."

"I don't like sharing," Hisashi snapped.

Izuku stared. That sounded… childishly petulant. Strangely so for a man usually so smooth and confident.

"But I won't make you choose," Hisashi continued, visibly pulling himself together. "And maybe I can learn to see your way of looking at things. Mutually supportive, is it?"

Izuku leaned over and hugged Hisashi. He was a bit old for this, but… he had a feeling that the man needed it. Hisashi froze for a split second, then moved abruptly to wrap his own arms around Izuku.

"Mutually supportive."

The arms tightened, and he felt Hisashi press his face against his hair.

It was nice to spend the night in his own bed, but Izuku had to wake up the following morning all too early. The press conference wasn't scheduled until that evening, announcing both the Villain Amnesty Project and one other thing Izuku had decided to unveil, but Izuku still had plenty of things to prepare. He took Shirakumo's Warp Gate back to his office - still so incredibly convenient - and had just settled at his desk when Yagi walked in carrying a pile of ever-present paperwork.

"Oh, Young Midoriya. How was your visit with your parents?"

Izuku stared at him. He had so much to do, but… he abruptly felt the need to know now. "What does family mean to you, Yagi-san?"

Yagi fumbled with the stack of paperwork he was carrying. "Did something happen last night, my boy?"

"Not exactly. Maybe? I had a talk with Hisashi."

Yagi looked him over, and set the paperwork down. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Izuku frowned. A little, but he wanted an answer first. "Maybe. But I think I'd like to know what family means to you."

Yagi sat down on the sofa. "I don't remember having a family," he said finally. "I was fostered and passed between homes." His shadowed eyes met Izuku's. "Part of why Nana Shimura picked me up, I think, is because I didn't have anyone for All for One to target. I thought he was dead when I picked you as my successor, otherwise I might have had the same consideration."

Izuku shivered at that. All for One had been close enough to his family already; maybe he was even lucky that the demon had a use for Hisashi Midoriya. That might've been what saved Inko when Izuku took One for All.

That, or whatever reason All for One had for giving Izuku Japan.

Yagi continued. "That's why I don't want to come between you and your father, my boy. If you can have what I never had, I'd only be grateful."

"You're the closest thing I have to a father figure," Izuku responded promptly. "You're family. My family just got a little bigger."

Yagi smiled shyly. "Is that so?"

"Absolutely."

"Family. I'd like that." Yagi rubbed his neck. "I think you should save 'Dad' for your actual father, but… you could call me Toshi. If you wanted to."

Izuku thought that Yagi… Toshi still deserved the title more, but he could accept that. "Toshi, then."

Toshi had never looked happier.

Unfortunately for Izuku, there were still some last-minute details to be dealt with before evening arrived.

"Are you sure you want to be his sponsor?" he asked Aizawa. "I'm sure Kayama would be happy to do it, as well."

Aizawa looked at him tiredly. "Don't think I can manage it?"

"Well, you are busy."

"And quirkless."

Izuku winced. No, that wasn't why he was hesitant about this, but he understood the insecurity that came with a lack of quirk. It had to be even worse for someone who was missing theirs entirely.

"You're ridiculously competent with or without your quirk. I'm just worried about your own emotional state, Aizawa-sensei. I know Shirakumo meant a lot to you."

"That's why I want to do this. He would have, if it was me."

"You might have to fight him if he stepped out of line." He'd heard enough of the story by now - bits and pieces from Aizawa, Present Mic and Kayama. He'd seen Shirakumo's hesitance, the way they all danced around each other before finally clicking. They worked alongside each other like well-oiled machines. Even now, with Shirakumo busy welcoming the returning ambassadors, they still were often found together. Izuku had considered moving them all into a communal office with four desks, considering how much time they spent in each other's offices anyway.

"I'll do it if I need to," Aizawa said. Izuku could tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that he meant it.

"Alright." Izuku nodded. "It's decided then. Send in Kouda next."

"You're volunteering to sponsor Shimura?"

Kouda nodded frantically.

"He hasn't threatened you or anything, right?"

A hesitant shake of the head.

"I need to know if he has."

He threatens people with lectures on fertilizer at lunchtime, Kouda signed. The whole class had decided to learn sign language in their second year, partly because Kouda preferred it and partly because it was useful in stealth situations.

Izuku hadn't… really expected that. "That's a bit childish of him."

Kouda shrunk into his seat. I suggested it.

"You… did?"

It's less violent than… Kouda's signs wavered. I thought it would help him if he had something less violent to threaten people with.

"You have a point," Izuku said. "Good work, Kouda. I'm happy to let you continue working with him, as long as you're fine with that. Send in Kirishima on your way out, will you?"

Kouda nodded again, and hurried out.

What an odd friendship.

"Have you talked to Gigantomachia about this?"

"Yeah, we've talked. He's cool, we've been sparring in the mornings in the basement."

"You've been… what?" Izuku hadn't heard about that.

"Yeah, man, there's a lot of space down there that we cleared out. It's a great place for sparring, we all go down there pretty regularly. No one bothered to tell you?"

Izuku massaged his temples. "No, no one told me that there's a sparring ring in the government basement!"

"You should come sometime! Machia's a great sparring partner, tough as nails but he can go easy if he needs to. We've all learned a lot from him."

Izuku wanted to punch Kirishima's sunny smile off his face. On second thought, maybe a sparring match would be perfect. It would give him an excuse to do just that. If only he didn't have a press conference this evening; he couldn't show up with a black eye or a broken nose. Without Recovery Girl, it wouldn't heal in time.

"I'm more worried about Gigantomachia picking up bad habits from you than anything," he muttered. "But if you think you can handle it, I'll give the approval. He's a tough one, though, so I expect you to call someone if you think there'll be trouble."

"Don't sweat it, man! He's great, and if he makes trouble I'll have you guys all come help me kick him into orbit."

"That's all I ask. Well, that, and please let me know next time you decide to set up a fighting ring somewhere inappropriate."

"Come on, man, it's not that bad!"

"Hello, Todoroki. How have things been with your brother, Touya Todoroki?"

"Fine. He's been helpful."

Izuku frowned. "I know he's been helpful in putting together your new heroics model, but that's not what I really want to know. I want to make sure that you're okay with… continuing to work with him."

"I thought about what you said last night," Todoroki said slowly. "He's not family like you explained it. But we're his, and he needs that. Natsuo and I are helping him. It's a hero's job to help people."

"If you're sure that's what you want to do," Izuku said.

"I'm sure. We all have scars from the same person. I want to help Touya."

"Just remember that you're responsible if anything happens," Izuku said.

Todoroki nodded. "I remember. Oh, and Izuku?"

"Yes?"

"You're also my family."

"Todoroki!"

"I said it in private this time. Did I say it wrong?"

"No… Thanks, you're my family, too."