A/N: Here's the next chapter guys! Thanks so much for all the feedback!

Greener Grass

Chapter Six

Confrontation

They manage another two dates before deciding that, yes, they were together-together. And with that came a certain level of trust. Inko, for example, invited him into her apartment, showed him the early ultra-sound pictures, and asked for his opinion on baby names (she was torn between Izuku and Hiroshi for a boy, which is what she had a feeling her baby was, but she also had the names Hinako and Ruri for a girl just in case). And Hizashi formally introduced her to the Heroes he worked with, earning yet another heavy sigh from Knight Owl as Infra-Red, Moonlight, and Star Chaser (all three of them female Heroes) cooed and teased them. She now had a (completely ironic) open invitation to visit the Heroes whenever the mood struck, any time between open hours (six PM to six AM seven days a week).

(Knight Owl had very grumpily cut in and expressed that she wasn't allowed to visit when Hizashi was working because she would distract him more than usual. The two teenagers had flushed and giggled but agreed, Hizashi sheepishly admitting that she was distracting enough when he didn't see her and earning several 'Aw's from the female Heroes even as Inko's heart threw itself off a cliff, this boy, god)

With the welcoming into personal space, however, came the complications of personal things. Things like an eleven-year-old with spiky red hair and pale turquoise eyes hunting her down in the middle of her shift to give her the stink eye and waft faint wisps of smoke from his pores. He would, no doubt, grow into quite the handsome man one day, but, for now? Mimi had already had to retreat to the office when her loud cooing had made the boy puff up angrily, his sulky expression going pouty as he tried to be intimidating and only managed to look like an endearingly angry puppy.

"Let me guess," Inko mused, eying the boy with fondness already. "Touya?" The boy glared at her fiercely, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. He was wearing a black and gray hoody, although, the more she looked, the more she realized that the gray was actually ashes and soot, and that the hoody had several pockmarks of small burns, right where the boy nervously fidgeted or tapped his fingertips.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stop messin' around with Hizashi-Niichan," he told her stiffly, tightly, glaring at her as Inko arched a brow, absently using Pull and to bring the nearby stepstool closer so she could reach a top shelf. She'd taking Hizashi's advice about limiting her Quirk usage and had already noticed a drastic reduction in the swelling of her ankles and in the aching muscles of her back. He really was her Hero, all things considered...

"If I knew what was good for me, I would have started dating Hizashi sooner, I think you mean," she informed him easily. "After all, he's already saved both me and my baby." She patted her rounded belly, the beginning of her third and final trimester rapidly approaching (along with the end of summer). As soon as those turquoise eyes (and really, such a pretty color, did all of Hizashi's family have jewel-bright eyes like that?) landed on her round belly, they went wide and surprised, mouth opening a bit and arms uncrossing.

"You... You're...?" He gestured awkwardly toward her stomach, expression tilting into uncertain; Inko smiled softly at the younger boy.

"Yep," she said, smiling as she carefully rearranged a few packages of ramen before stepping down. "Almost seven months, now!"

"Seven... Months..." he muttered, and Inko caught the flash of hurt and betrayal that glinted across his face, a flash like black ice on the road, there and gone before you knew it, until it made your world spin out of control.

"It's not Hizashi's," she told him firmly, calmly, cutting off whatever thoughts he was no doubt getting about his 'Niichan' holding back information. "This baby was made in a one-night stand of a mistake with a boy who was only interested in getting me into bed, no matter what he said or I believed at the time," she told him calmly. "And in the last two weeks that I've known Hizashi, he has treated both me and this baby better than my own family ever did..." She glanced down at her stomach, lovingly caressing it and smiling helplessly as her baby (Izuku was such a good name...). "I guess, in that way, it is his. In all the ways that really matter, in the end," she murmured lovingly, striking her belly softly. Touya stared, wide-eyed, face soft and round with uncertainty and relief, and Inko was struck by just how young he was, how tired and lonely he seemed.

And, in that moment, that flash of insight for this boy who so obviously cared for her Zashi and who was so willing to go and shovel-talk this strange girl he'd never even met before, Inko decided. Just as she had with Bo, with everything she did as Feather Touch, she trusted her instincts.

So, Inko offered him a bright smile, and invited him back to her apartment for tea.

And if Hizashi's dumbfounded look when he visited her after Patrol, to find his young cousin curled up under a throw blanket on her couch surrounded by snack wrappers, with an old movie playing quietly in the background while Inko munched on a bowl of strawberries sleepily on the floor in front of him, was anything to go by, Inko would definitely be inviting the boy over again.

(She didn't actually have to, it turned out. Much like a cat, Touya went where he pleased in spite of those around him. The number of times Inko comes home to find him raiding her fridge or passed out on her couch quickly becomes something of a fifty-fifty chance as days pass).

The next person she gets to meet isn't his mother or father, which is both unfortunate and a blessing. No, instead, she has the dubious pleasure of finally meeting the dreaded Uncle Enji. The currently Number Seven Hero, Endeavor. And she gets to meet him when he barges into the Nocturnas Agency, in all his flaming glory, to demand to speak to his nephew.

"He's on Patrol right now, Endeavor-San," Moonlight informs the Hero mildly, her pearl-colored eyes cool and stoic, inhumanly-black skin making them gleam eerily beneath her silver colored hair and painted lips. Moonlight's Quirk, Moon Beam, let her shoot pale beams of silvery light out of her eyes that would temporarily blind those she hit. Unfortunately, they only worked in unbroken streams and in darkness, but even the tiniest streak brushing you would blind you for five full minutes. As a result, the exotically beautiful Hero could only see in UV shades of gray, silver, white, and pale purples and blues, and had heavy-duty prescription sunglasses for the daytime. Unnatural lighting wasn't as bad, but her navy-blue and silver costume still came with a pale blue visor for when she was in brightly lit areas.

"I will wait," the Number Seven Hero grunted, flaming face set in harsh lines as he stalked over to a nearby chair and sat pointedly, crossing his arms over his chest as Inko eyed him narrowly.

So, this is the asshole who treated Hizashi like crap as a child, she thought, staring at him without blinking, face set in a tight, unhappy expression. Moonlight, seeing it, sighed softly and murmured something about getting her some juice from the vending machine, before pushing back from her chair and exiting, leaving them to what she mutteringly referred to as 'family drama'.

"What is it, girl?" Endeavor finally snapped, frowning heavily at her; Inko didn't twitch.

"So, you are the infamous Uncle Enji," she drawled coldly; Endeavor stiffened, dark eyes flashing, like black pools, and Inko curled her lips in a facsimile of a smile. "I do believe I have some words for you, Uncle," she hissed, standing carefully from her chair, a hand dropping immediately and obviously to her rounded stomach as she turned fully to face him. Those coal-dark eyes flickered down to her belly briefly before a sneer of disdain curled his lips.

"I see my nephew is still shaming the family despite his change of fortune," he scoffed; Inko's 'smile' sharpened, teeth bared and green eyes dark and sharp as blades of jade.

"Oh, the baby's not his, though he's already a better father than the piece of shit who put it in me," she told him mildly. "And, considering he's saved both our lives multiple times already, even when I didn't realize we were in danger to begin with, I'd say he's doing plenty of 'honoring', even I don't personally feel like your family deserves it, if just a fraction of the stories he's told me are true. See, the thing about 'Abuse', Uncle Enji," she hissed, stepping up to him, his large form dwarfing her own even as he remained sitting, "is that when people here it, they think bruises and broken bones and screaming fights. But, see, that's only one type of abuse. Another form people think of is sexual. The last ones people ever think of, however, are verbal, psychological, and emotional." The fire on Endeavor's face flared, teeth grinding obviously, eyes flashing with hellfire and wrath as he straightened, glaring down at Inko.

"Are you accusing me of something, child?" He growled, a low rumble, a volcano about to erupt. Inko let her smile thin and widen, Cheshire and vicious and coldcoldcold.

"I don't know, Uncle Enji," she cooed mockingly. "What would you call it when someone's own Uncle tells his parents to get rid of him because his Quirk might not come in? Or when they call him a 'Worthless Quirkless'? Or when they try to destroy a child's dreams just because they don't agree with them, when he's not even their fucking child?" She leaned in close, ignoring the biting heat of his flames to drop her smile, eyes cold.

"Make's a girl wonder what he does to his own family, his own children, if he's so willing to abuse a child who doesn't even live under his own roof," she murmured to him, coldcoldcold to combat the heat of his fury and outrage. "Make's a girl wonder what would happen to his PR if word got out. After all, you may be able to silence me or the press, after the fact," she bit out, jabbing at his chest without touching the fire that crackled angrily there, "but you'll never be able to erase the doubts. And, the Quirkless community? They have loved ones and supporters in one another and others, and if they found out? That's twenty percent of the population right there who would not hesitate to vote no confidence for you." She leaned back, glaring frigidly even as she returned her hands to stroking and cradling her belly gently.

"Of course," she continued, voice mild and distantly polite as the sound of the front door of the Agency opening sounded, "this is all supposition based around the idea that you're not here to shame or hurt Hizashi-Kun, of course." And then, she smiled, sweet and saccharine and poisonous as Knight Owl turned the corner into the main offices, Hizashi at his heels.

"Uncle Enji?!" He yelped, eyes wide as he stumbled, matcha-green eyes darting between Inko's tiny form and his Uncle's crackling, anger-hot form. Inko continued to smile as Endeavor for a cold, long second, before turning and padding towards her boyfriend, leaning up and pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek as he curled an arm instinctively, protectively around her waist, shifting his body to be between her and his Uncle as the Flaming Hero rose stiffly to his feet.

(Knight Owl noticed, of course he did. Those avian eyes were for more than hunting Villains, after all. And, if he happened to shift into the prime position to defend his pupil and his girlfriend as he nodded a greeting to the Number Seven Hero, that was his prerogative. And, hidden out of direct line of sight, if Moonlights pearl-colored eyes were gleaming with power, ready to fire at any moment, fingers clenched tightly around a pair of peach-juice drinks, well, that was her prerogative. As it was her prerogative to inform her fellow Agency members about the entire conversation she just happens to be close enough to overhear. Just like it was their prerogative, to bring up bits and pieces and mumbles at every meet up they had with Heroes from other Agencies, or to complain about it to their loved ones or friends, especially the ones they knew who were friends or relatives with Quirkless people. But that would happen later.)

"How, uh, how can I help you, Uncle Enji?" Hizashi asked him cautiously; Endeavor glared darkly at the two of them, and Inko met his eyes head-on without flinching. After a second, he grunted.

"There is a family gathering this weekend," he grunted stiffly. "Your youngest cousin, Todoroki Shouto, was born yesterday. Your presence is mandatory." With that and a stiff, barely-there nod to Knight Owl, Endeavor stalked away. Hizashi tugged Inko closer as he passed, turning her so that he was always between the two, until the Agency doors snapped shut behind him with just barely enough force to not be considered a childish slam. Immediately, Hizashi let out a shaky breath and turned, wrapping Inko in his arms unhappily as he hugged her close, baby bump pressed to his own stomach as he did.

"You okay?" He asked her softly, concerned, as Moonlight finally emerged from the hall, sharing a brief, pointed look with Night Owl as she set the two cans of peach-juice down. Inko took a deep breath, breathing in Hizashi's smell, like cinnamon and ash and blown-out candles. And this time, when she smiled, it was soft and warm and bright, as she peered up at her boyfriend.

"Never better, Hizashi-Kun," she told him softly, warmly, honestly. "Never better."

A/N: And there we go! Endeavor popped up! For those curious, All Might is still running around America at this point in time, chasing rumors and suspected sightings of All For One, and spreading his smile and strength around. He hasn't made his Japanese Debut yet!

The Late-Night Headcanon Corner

(AKA the I-woke-up-at-3-AM-with-this-sudden-and-mildly-horrifying-BNHA-thought-and-will-now-share-it-with-you corner)

Dark Shadow could totally be Tokoyami's twin who was re-absorbed in the womb. They're two separate entities, and DS is underdeveloped compared to Bird Boy. Tokoyami may in fact have another Quirk, if this is true, unless utilizing his twin's spirit as a weapon is His Quirk, and the form and Shadow Manipulation was his twins Quirk…

Thoughts?