Hello again, Heroes. Rio here with the next part of Domestic Heroes. Got a special treat for you all for this one, and I have to admit, I liked how this one turned out. One of the better pieces that I've written, honestly. I had fun with it, and I'm sure some of you will like it as well, especially at the end. I won't spoil it, though, you will just have to read on and see for yourself. With that said, enjoy the story, everyone, and I will see you in the author's notes.

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction in dedication to a much grander work. As such, the author does not own the rights to any characters within this story, and any correlation between any original characters that may appear and people in the real world are merely coincidental.

My Hero Academia: Domestic Heroes

In Sickness and Health

"Deku, have you seen my bracelet? I can't find it anywhere!"

"Did you try the dresser?"

"I did! It isn't there!"

"Then check under the bed next to our suitcases! Mikan probably hid it while in one of his moods!"

"Seriously!? Ugh, that annoying bucket of fur, I swear…"

Izuku laughed as he fixed up his tie in front of the mirror, dressed in a typical black tux with a dark green undershirt while Ochako was sporting a flowing red sparkling dress with her hair tied to a bun as she looked under their bed for the missing jewelry. The couple were invited to a hero banquet by their friend Momo and her family, and the pair were looking forward to it. It was an opportunity to meet up with other heroes, reunite with old friends, and have a good time overall. It wasn't often that they went to such parties, mostly because they weren't all that into such formal events, but since it was their old friend who had invited, and partially worked on, the party itself, they knew it was going to be fun.

"Aha! He did hide it here! Oh that little monster is so not getting any treats when we get back." Ochako announced triumphantly as she rose from the ground, holding up the shining, infinity themed bracelet as if it was a trophy, causing the man at the mirror to laugh at her antics.

"Good job, Ochako. You didn't get your dress dirty, though, did you?" Izuku asked as he turned around.

"Nope, still good. Not like it'd get dirty with how well we clean the floor. Seriously, we can eat off of it, if we wanted to." Ochako assured with a wide grin while placing her bracelet on.

"Heh. That's true, but let's not actually do that. Mikan would try to steal our food if we did." Izuku joked as the couple left the room and headed toward the den, where they noticed a cascade of white hair over by the couch's arm rest, and frowned slightly at the sight of it. "Eri, don't lay down on the couch like that right now. We're about to leave and if you stay like that, you'll ruin your dress."

He didn't hear a response from the Eri, and immediately the couple grew concerned. Lately the little girl had been looking quite tired, moving around sluggishly on occasion and even had a few coughing fits. Izuku was afraid that she was coming down with something; he heard from some of his coworkers that a flu virus was spreading around lately and was concerned that she ended up getting it somehow, but she insisted that she was fine, saying that she was just working herself a little hard at school. Both he and Ochako relented reluctantly after that, but they were still worried about her. Now especially, since she would normally be very excited about going to a party that involved meeting up with old friends.

"…Eri?"

"mnn…"

The soft groan that the couple heard immediately put them on edge, and the pair rushed over to the couch to check on the girl. What they saw confirmed their worries: Eri, dressed in a light blue dress, was curled up into a ball and clutching her stomach, face flushed and sweating while letting off weak moans and groans. The girl was sick, immensely so, and the sight of her pained state immediately brought the two heroes into action.

"Eri!" Ochako cried, practically crashing down in front of the couch and placed a hand on the girl's forehead, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Oh god, she's burning up. How long has she been like this? Why didn't she say anything?"

"Knowing her, she probably didn't want to make us worry. She's too selfless for her own good, sometimes." Izuku muttered as he pulled out a hankie from his tux pocket and began dabbing the girl's wet face with it to clean her. "Ochako, can you take her to her room and get her into more comfortable clothes? I'll call Yaoyorozu and let her know we can't come and look for the medicine."

"Of course. Leave it to me. The medicine should be in the top cabinet next to the fridge. That's where I saw it last." Ochako nodded as she gently lifted the sickly child into her arms, wincing when she felt Eri whine and mutter. "Shh…shh. It's ok, sweetie. You're ok. Let's get you cleaned up and out of that dress. We're not going anywhere…"

"Deku… Chako… I…"

"Rest, Eri. Everything's going to be alright…" Izuku assured as he walked over to the girl, patting her head and giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. "Let Ochako take care of you, while I get the medicine. You'll be better in no time, I promise."

Eri opened her mouth again, as if she was about to protest, but instead let loose a series of coughs, further worrying the couple and prompting Ochako to take her to her room while Izuku made his way to the kitchen to search for the medication, dialing a number on his phone in the process.

After getting ahold of Momo and letting her know about their situation, he let off a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone and pulled out the bottle of cherry-flavored cold/flu liquid medicine that he managed to find. The creation hero was very understanding of his current situation, and even offered to send a doctor over to their apartment to try and nurse Eri to health. Izuku turned down the offer, though, insisting that he and Ochako could handle it on their own, but appreciated the sentiment nevertheless. Taking a moment to fill up a cup with water, the young man hurried to Eri's room, being careful not to drop anything as he walked. Her room was pretty much what could be expected of a little girl's room; light pink walls with various stuffed animals scattered around, a couple dressers with a decent sized television that had a fancy looking game system connected to it, a gift from Kaminari shortly after moving in, a desk for homework, and a few pictures of all three of them hanging around the room. Right in the center of it was a decent size bed with dark colored sheets and blankets over it, though right now it was currently being occupied by its sick owner, tucked in nice and snug as a certain fretting heroine was trying to make her comfortable.

"Oh, sweetheart. You're going to be ok, soon. Deku just showed up with the medicine. Just take a small cup of it and you'll start feeling better. Trust me." Ochako stated softly, dabbing the girl's forehead with a cold wet rag to help lower her fever.

"Hnng…" Eri groaned, still looking as bad as before as she weakly opened her eyes to see Izuku walking over to her with the medicine in hand, along with some water. "Deku… Chako… Sorry…for making you miss…the party… I know…you wanted to go…"

"Don't apologize, Eri. You're much more important than a simple party. We can go to another one whenever, but there is no way we're going to abandon you. We're your guardians now, and we will do whatever it takes to take care and protect you. Remember that…" Izuku assured, looking as serious as ever as he set the bottle and glass down and squatted right next to his girlfriend, gently rubbing his sickly ward's unkempt white hair to try and sooth her.

He saw the tears coming from her eyes immediately, and quickly surmised that she was becoming emotionally overwhelmed once more. It happened every so often, especially when watching certain movies. It seemed, though, that whatever's ailing her was making her more sensitive than normal. Hoping to calm her down, Izuku proceeded to open up the medicine bottle, using the cap as a sipping cup as he poured some for Eri. He then, with the help of Ochako, helped Eri sit up a little and proceeded to pour the medicine into the little girl's throat, feeling guilty when he saw her grimace at the taste.

"We know it doesn't taste good, sweetie, but it will make you feel better. Deku even went and got you the cherry one, so it's a little better than normal. Here, take a bit of water to help get rid of the taste." Ochako offered as she grabbed the cup and moved it to Eri's face, gently tilting it into her lips so that she could drink.

As the pair continued to make the girl comfortable, Izuku was slowly reminded of the last time Eri was sick, a soft smile gracing his features as he gently tucked the girl in. It was before she moved in with them, a time when she was still living with Aizawa. The man had some important work regarding a certain recurring villain and called in Izuku to discuss it, with Ochako coming along due to her also being aware of certain details. The talk itself, while serious, did not last long, but just as the couple was about to leave, they decided to check in on Eri, only to see her ill and proceeded to try and heal her, much to Aizawa's surprise and weak protest.

-Flashback-

"I'm telling you, kids, its fine. She's already taken some medicine to get rid of her cold. You don't need to coddle-"

"hnnng…"

"Sensei, please, not so loud. Eri's still trying to sleep here!" Ochako hissed, straight up glaring at her former teacher and actually causing him to step back a little, before the woman turned back to the sickly girl on the bed with a gentle coo. "It's ok, sweetie. Everything's going to be just fine. You'll feel better in no time, I swear."

"…Did I just get shushed by my old student just now?" The underground hero muttered in disbelief just as Izuku showed up behind him with a small basin and rag.

"I got the stuff, Ochako. Need me to look for anything else?" Izuku asked, gently setting the container full of cold water and carefully dunked the towel in it, wringing it out as he handed it to Ochako.

"This should be enough, Deku. Thanks. Hopefully this will help bring her fever down. Going to have to make her something to eat later on, though. Something light and easy on the stomach so that it can actually stay down." The brunette suggested as she folded the rag and placed it on Eri's forehead, giving the girl a sweet kiss on the cheek as she did so.

"I know a recipe for chicken noodle soup that my mom used to give me whenever I get sick. Maybe that will help." Izuku offered, turning his head over to Aizawa with a pleading expression. "Sir, you don't mind if we use your kitchen, do you? I promise it won't take me long to make the soup and I'll clean up the mess."

"…Aren't you two supposed to be going home, right now? You have a cat to feed, don't you?" The eldest of the room gripped, his arms crossed and glaring at his two former students for practically taking over his home, though there was a glint of intrigue that was hidden in his eyes.

"Mikan will be fine for a little while, sir. This is important. He'll understand why we're late when we explain what happened. He's smart, and he knows Eri." Ochako stated firmly, giving the erasure hero a firm stare in return before setting her attention back to Eri, becoming soft and loving once more.

"Ah… Sorry about Ochako, sir. She can get a little worked up at times when it comes to stuff like this…" Izuku apologized, a sheepish grin on his face as he spoke.

"…Forget it. It's fine. You both know what you're doing, anyways, so I won't stop you." The man relented as he stepped out of the room, Izuku following him and leaving Ochako alone to watch over Eri, which she didn't mind in the least. "Seriously, though, you two are surprisingly good at taking care of children. Like natural born parents or something. If it wasn't for the fact that you two lovebirds practically commandeered my home to take care a recovering little girl, I'd be more impressed."

"Eh, you think?" Izuku questioned, looking quite surprised by the statement.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Midoriya. I am not entirely happy to have Uraraka backtalk me nor you taking over my kitchen, but I'll let it slide considering the circumstances…" Aizawa sighed before adopting a more serious expression. "Actually, that brings me to a subject that I've been wanting to talk about with you both. Get Uraraka in here so that we can talk."

Izuku nodded and headed back into the room, convincint Ochako to follow him as soon as the both of them made sure that Eri would be fine on her own for a moment. Once that was done, the couple followed the man into the kitchen, where they sat in the small table and waited patiently for the man to begin.

"I'll just get straight to the point: Midoriya, Uraraka, I want you to take in Eri for me." Aizawa said almost immediately, his request shocking the couple so much that they were nearly floored. "I've been thinking about this for a while now, and I believe it's time that the girl gets herself a proper family to raise her. I know you two are young and aren't even married yet, but out of all the options that I have for potential caretakers for her, you two are the most qualified, especially after what I've just seen…"

"B-But what about Togata? He's been a big help with Eri, too, and the one who saved her from Overhaul. Wouldn't he make a better caretaker than us? W-We're still practically kids!" Izuku exclaimed, eyes wide as he tried to take in the offer that was given to him while Ochako continued to stare at their former teacher in blatant surprise.

"I already thought of that, but his position is not much different than mine, meaning Eri will be alone for the most part whenever he's busy. With her being with you, there will be two people looking after her and a pet to take care of. She'll hardly be as lonely, and having something resembling a family will be good for her." Aizawa explained, looking even more serious than usual. "Listen, I've done my best to take care of Eri, but I have so much on my plate as of late that soon I won't be able to give her the proper attention she needs. It was easier the first couple years because of your class; her bonds with you and the others, allowing you all to help out while I worked. Now, though, with the crime rate rising steadily and the League still on the loose, I'm having less and less time to be with her and she can't have that. She needs more care and attentiveness than usual for someone her age because of her past, and I can't do it alone… I've been searching for better caretakers for her for a while now, and out of all the candidates that I have listed to raise her…you two are the best option available. Especially after that little show just now…"

Both Izuku and Ochako were stunned by what they had just be asked for. Out of all the things they were expecting to happen during their meeting with their old teacher, becoming a parent was not one of them. It was a great surprise, but the more they thought about it, the more they liked the idea. They liked Eri, a lot, and it was always a treat whenever they came to visit them. They were also constantly worried about her, wondering how she was doing and if she was breaking out of her timid shell. The rush of parental instincts that they felt when they discovered she was sick was also a surprise, but not an unpleasant one. Their lives were already fairly busy as upcoming heroes and Ochako's employment in one of Gunhead's dojos, which was a bit of a deterrent, and there was no way they could properly raise Eri in a single bedroom apartment, so they will have to find a bigger place… Money will be tight as a result as well, especially since they might end up dipping into their special savings to make sure they get everything they need…should they decided to accept Aizawa's request.

It was then that the couple turned to each other, a silent conversation being spoke between the two as they stared at each other seriously. In the end, there was only one option to choose, and both were set on making it work. With a firm nod to each other, they then turned over to Aizawa who, after noticing their resolute expressions, began to slowly smile, a rare glimmer of pride in his eyes as he stared back at his former students in approval.

"Well then… I take it you already came to a decision?" He asked.

"We have, sir…" Izuku and Ochako said simultaneously. No other words needed to be said by them. Their answer was obvious.

"Very well. I'll get the paperwork ready as soon as I can. Congratulations, kids, you just became parents before getting married. I wish you both the best of luck, because you're sure as hell going to need it."

-End Flashback-

Izuku smiled softly as he finished recalling the memory, gently patting Eri on the head while Ochako was quietly humming a lullaby to lull the girl to sleep. He could hardly believe that it had only been just over half a year, eight months at most, since the couple became Eri's new guardians. It honestly felt longer, with each passing day its own adventure at times. It was not easy adjusting at first, what with all of them feeling a little awkward about the situation, but things quickly began to fall into place, and soon enough, all three began seeing each other as family. Even with all the challenges that they faced throughout the months, they were all worth it in the end.

"Hmmm…"

"We're here, Eri. Don't worry. We're not going to leave you." Izuku said kindly, leaning down to give the girl a quick peck on the forehead once more, right next to her small horn.

"Deku's right, sweetheart. We're here for you for as long as you want. Whenever you need us, let us know, and we'll be there for you. You're not going to be alone anymore. Not if we can help it." Ochako added in, ceasing her humming to place her own kiss on her cheek, before gently rubbing her arm in a soothing fashion. "Now…go to sleep. We'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

Eri let off a weak, yet content hum as she snuggled herself deeper into the covers, making herself comfortable as she let off a small series of coughs. Izuku and Ochako, while still worried, were happy that she was able to listen to the request. As soon as they notice her breathing steadily, the couple proceeded to slowly and quietly make their way out of the room. They were still in their formal wear, after all, and needed to get into something a bit more comfortable since they were no longer going anywhere, which was just fine for them. Just as the reached the door, they heard Eri spoke up once more, her words freezing them to a halt and causing them to turn to her with wide, shimmering eyes.

"Thank you…Dad…Mom… I…love you…"

Both of them had to cover their mouths to keep themselves from bawling, though the tears fell from their face regardless. It was the first time they ever heard her call them 'Mom' or 'Dad', and they couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by those simple words. They knew that they all saw each other as family, and couple themselves came to love the girl like a daughter, but to have her actually say that touched them so much. It made it feel official to them, and they couldn't be happier to have hear those words coming from Eri's mouth. With the biggest smiles ever on their faces, the couple proceeded to head back into their room and change, getting ready to spend the entire night taking care of their sick daughter and nurse her back to perfect health.

Izuku and Ochako, two young adults who worked hard as heroes, as an investigator and an instructor respectively, to make ends meet and fulfil their dreams, are now raising a once scarred and tortured little girl as their own, allowing her to bloom into an energetic, loved and happy child. They had become her parents, and she their daughter, and nothing was going to change that.

Prompt 9: Nursing the Sick One.

Author's notes: Well...it finally happened. Eri finally called Izuku and Ochako Dad and Mom in this story. I'm sure a few of you were waiting for this to happen, and now it finally has. I've had this set for a while now and I am finally happy that I was able to get this out in the open now. This challenge has been incredibly fun, if a bit difficult thanks to some of the prompts, to pull off, and I hope you all enjoy reading my work as much as I am writing it. Next update is tomorrow and will bring more fluffy and funny moments for the trio of cinnamon rolls here, so look forward to that, Heroes!

Until the next update, everyone. Farewell, and remember: Go Beyond. Plus Ultra!