"You were right. The boy is a mess", Aizawa had to admit.
He was flipping through his contacts list trying to find an official fit for Midoriya Izuku's case. It was proving to be quite difficult. Maybe his standards were a bit too high but Aizawa didn't want to take any risks. He knew that his roommate felt the same way.
All Might had left the job of finding the official to the raven head. Aizawa was a lot better judge of character and if someone, he'd find the right person.
As mentioned, the Child Protective Services suffered with loss of staff. Some of the workers there weren't really fit to take care of such a serious case either.
"Did you see the injuries?" All Might sighed, taking a sip out of his can of beer. He usually didn't drink but he just needed a cold one right now.
The two were back home, having treated Midoriya to some delicious ice cream. The boy had loved it and made Aizawa and All Might promise that they'd see each other tomorrow as well. He didn't want to be walked home this time and after a hug from All Might, he ran back home.
"Of course I did! There were cuts on his face too", Aizawa hadn't wanted to think that it was that serious. He had wanted his roommate to overreact, like he always did.
Midoriya had been wearing the same pants as yesterday but a different shirt. He hadn't had any shoes on, only socks. The exposed legs and arms were dotted with a collection of bruises in different stages of healing. There were old scars mapping the dirty skin. A couple band-aids had been hastily placed on the face, possibly on the worst cuts on there.
"I just want him to be safe."
Aizawa had known the boy for a day, All Might two days, and they were both already getting seriously attached to the sweet boy. Those chubby freckled cheeks and huge bright eyes really got to you. The boy looked even younger than he was. He was small for his age too.
"I'll see what I can do", Aizawa mumbled, dialing a number, "You keep your image up, Mr. Symbol of Peace."
"I want to take him to the new American burger place tomorrow", checking a flyer on the table for the place, All Might decided.
"Wha?" Aizawa gurgled in the bathroom. He was washing his teeth. He had a clay mask on and a towel wrapped around his wet hair.
The two were getting ready for the night. All Might would go to sleep while Eraserhead would have a nap before getting to work.
The raven head was tired, but he'd have to go out. A hero had to work. It was just like any other day, no working meant no money. He really couldn't afford to take that many days off. Unlike All Might, Aizawa didn't have ad deals or other ways of income. He had had one interview though but it hadn't lead to anything more.
"You know the place. They have a hero theme this month", All Might huffed. He couldn't believe that his roommate had missed the ads for the place. It had everything great combined in one. Heroes and America.
They had a huge indoors playground too. Midoriya would surely love running around there, having fun. There might even be some kids there of the same age to play with and befriend.
"Do you have the time?" Aizawa turned on the hairdryer.
All Might checked his calendar. He had an interview in the morning but he'd have the afternoon off if nothing major happened. Though the city had been calm lately, they could always call him if something came up.
"Of course!" All Might exclaimed, "It's a hero's duty to take care of the people!"
"You think you could visit the Police Station? There's a woman I'd like Midoriya to meet. I'll meet you there."
"Just don't oversleep."
"Good evening Midoriya. What brings you here tonight?" a man greeted Deku as the boy stepped in through a door. A bell over the bar's door rang, signaling a new customer.
"Father isn't home tonight", Deku explained, climbing on one of the bar stools. It was a struggle but he managed in the end. Determination was the key.
The boy took a quick look around the place. It was much cleaner than back home. The dim lights and dark wood of the furniture made it very cosy. It had that old-school bar feeling to it. Not that Deku knew what that was.
"Is he working late?" a cup of juice appeared in front of the small guest, "Drink up. I'll prepare you something."
"Thanks Kurogiri", Deku smiled.
Kurogiri added a straw to the glass before exiting the room into the kitchen.
The boy was visiting his father's favorite bar. It was a couple minute walk from where the Midoriyas lived. Living where he did, Deku was bound to know a Villain or two.
"Hi Deku", a sleepy mumble came from one of the sofas.
"Hi Shigaraki", the boy replied with a smile.
"What's up?" the grey haired young man didn't like people, but he tolerated the kid. When Deku was there, he also wasn't the youngest around. He would be taken seriously and his behavior tolerated.
"I ate some ice cream today! And wiener octopuses!"
Midoriya had pulled out his notebook and selected a blank page. He'd have to add a new hero there and update some information. He selected the colors and began doodling.
"Really now?" just then, Kurogiri returned behind the bar counter, "Did your father buy you those?"
"Of course he didn't", Shigaraki huffed, biting his nails, "You really think he would?"
"Not really", the dark Villain had to agree. He placed a sandwich in front of the boy, sitting down next to him on a stool. He watched the boy draw, sliming as he spotted a tongue in the corner of Deku's mouth. The concentration was admirable.
"I made a new friend!" Deku revealed to the surprise of the two.
The two men had an image of some sort when it came to the little Midoriya. They had known the kid since he could crawl and the father even longer. The man was a regular customer to the bar and sometimes took part in the Villains' plans and such. The man preferred to work alone though.
In their eyes, Deku was just a little kid. Maybe a bit shy but mostly just like a huge ray of sunlight. He always seemed to be happy even when such terrible things happened to him. The two Villains knew what the boy went through back home but they were powerless. Well, Shigaraki didn't even care. All they could do was to make the bar a nice place for the boy. A place to escape.
"Sounds nice", Kurogiri said. Deku usually didn't make friends, and the ones he made ended up becoming his bullies.
"Yeah. They're really cool too!"
"Wait a second, 'they'?" Shigaraki piped up. One might be possible, but two or more was unheard of.
"Two!" Deku held two fingers up as if the males hadn't understood. He had already finished his small meal and was now sipping his drink, enjoying the company. He just soaked it up like a sponge, enjoying every minute of someone treating him like another human-being.
"What did you three do together then?" Kurogiri asked. Seeing Deku happy always made his day even a bit better. Working with tough and rude Villains sometimes really took its toll on him. Shigaraki was a brat too and Kurogiri had to live with him every day.
Kurogiri was actually Midoriya Izuku's unofficial godfather. The little one worked for him during the summers too, earning some pocket money and food.
"We played heroes!" Deku exclaimed, "But I played the Villains!"
The boy had no idea that the two people with him were dangerous Villains. Though he probably wouldn't have chosen his words any different, had he known.
"Did you win?" Shigaraki asked from the sofa. He was scratching his neck. Flakes off dry skin and scabs fell off onto the leather sofa.
Kurogiri would make the brat clean after himself. Even Villains had standards when it came to hygiene.
"Are you sure you're okay by yourself? You could stay in", Kurogiri suggested as he watched Deku get his backpack on, ready to return back home.
He had gotten the boy to sit down just long enough that he could run a comb through the green mess on his head. The curls were tamer now, though not perfect. Kurogiri would've needed a pair of scissors for the worst mats. The hair looked like one of those rescue dogs you sometimes saw on the TV.
"No. I'm going home", the boy shook his head. He'd need to be ready if his father came back home during the night. He'd have to have breakfast ready as well as clean up before that happened.
"At least take this. Eat it when your father isn't watching", Kurogiri handed the boy another sandwich. He hadn't gotten all of them sold tonight. He would give some to Deku if that happened and he and Shigaraki couldn't eat them all by themselves.
"Don't die", Shigaraki waved from where he was still seated. He hadn't moved an inch during the whole time the boy had been in the bar.
"I won't", Deku told them, "Bye bye."
"He doesn't mean that", Kurogiri whispered, "Tell your dad to come have a drink. He has a tab to pay."
"Sure", the boy nodded, waving the two goodbye before running off into the dark night.