Hello again, Heroes. Rio here with another piece for Domestic Heroes. This one is slightly heavier than previous instalments, but that's mostly due to the route that I went through with the theme for the story. Kinda had to, considering the line of work Izuku and Ochako have, but I digress. There are also plenty of cameos here as well, so it should be a treat if you all are interested. 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
Lessons on the Line of Duty
"Uuugh! This is stupid… Why the heck do we have to do a report on foreign heroes and stuff?! Shouldn't we be learning more about our heroes instead of the ones from Europe or America or whatever? Makes more sense, if you ask me."
"Actually, Izumi, sometimes it's good to learn more about foreign heroes, because they can teach you all sorts of stuff that the heroes here won't normally think about. Mom and Dad learned a few things from some overseas heroes, and I'm sure we'll learn a few things, too, if we study them."
"Eri's got a point, ribbit. Sis and Fumi went on a mission one time with a hero from Africa and they learned a lot of cool new tricks. Fumi especially. I could ask him if he could teach us some things the next time he visits Sis, if you guys want."
"Really, Asui? Thanks!"
"No problem, ribbit. And call me Satsuki."
"And I told you to call me Kota! We've known each other for a while now, Eri, you don't have to keep calling us by our last names! We're friends, aren't we?"
"Ah! Uh, y-yes! We are! Sorry, Kota, Satsuki…"
"…Heh. Always good to see Eri spending time with her friends. It never gets old seeing them come over." Izuku mused from the kitchen, washing the dishes in the sink as his fellow greenette stood over at the counter with a cup of tea in her hands.
"Indeed, ribbit. Satsuki's been good for her, and while Kota's still abrasive, he gets along well enough with them." Tsuyu agreed, taking a sip from her tea as her best friend trotted over to her with a content orange bundle of fur in her arms.
"I know, huh. I'm so happy that Kota and Satsuki befriended Eri. They've been doing wonders for her attitude and it's always such a treat to see them all together!" Ochako chirped, a bright smile on her face with Mikan nodding along sagely, as she turned her attention to the diligent children in the living room with pride.
It was a rare day in the Midoriya-Uraraka apartment; Eri's class had a fairly difficult homework assignment to work on and had asked her guardians if she could bring a couple friends over to get it done together. Both Izuku and Ochako allowed it, knowing exactly who their little girl was bringing over, and after coming home from a slow patrol, they were greeted with the sight of Eri, Kota and Satsuki working diligently on their class work with their old friend Tsuyu watching over them and helping out. Greeting their guests with much enthusiasm, the couple proceeded to make them some snacks for everyone, and even offered the group to stay for dinner, though the offer was politely declined. It was still a delightful surprise visit by the end of the day, though, and everyone was enjoying it, which was all that mattered to them.
"A shame that you can't stay here for dinner, Tsu. It's really been a long time since we hung out together… Deku and I really missed you while you were away on that mission in Yakushima. You didn't even let us know you were back until just a couple days ago." Ochako whined as she set Mikan down, shuffling over to Tsuyu and laid her head on the counter beside her.
"I missed you guys, too. And I'm sorry for not letting you know I was around sooner. Paperwork and all. The mission wasn't exactly the smoothest I've been in. Gang Orca took a few bullets during the rescue in order to protect the hostage, and Selkie got some cuts on his arms and legs while taking on the orchestrator of the kidnapping, but they'll make a full recovery. It was thanks to them that the mission was a success." Tsuyu said, smiling lightly at the impressed looks she was getting from her hosts, before frowning as she looked down at her cup of green tea. "We nearly failed the mission, though, and almost got killed as well, thanks to a cocky upstart from Shiketsu who was interning with us, ribbit. He thought he was a hotshot because he had a powerful sea-based Quirk, but his recklessness compromised the mission. Sirius and I tried to reign him in, but he was defiant the entire time. It took nearly getting shot in the head for him to finally listen to us, but the damage was already done by this point. I honestly doubt he'll be a student anymore after all the stunts he's done."
Ochako and Izuku frowned as the listened to Tsuyu's story, empathetic of their plight. The two had their fair share of cocky upstarts and overconfident co-workers who thought they were the best and could do no wrong. It reminded them both, Izuku especially, of how Bakugo used to be before he mellowed out (slightly) over the years. Such people never lasted long, and eventually they all received their comeuppance in one way or another. Some were simply chastised and humbled, others lost their jobs in hero work. Then, of course, there was the worst-case scenario…
"Dad? Mom? Miss Tsu? Is everything ok?" A soft voice spoke up, snapping the trio out of their dark thoughts to see Eri, Satsuki and Kota looking up at the adults with various degrees of concern.
"Are you thinking about your last mission again, Sis?" Satsuki croaked sadly, tilting her head curiously and a finger under her lip not unlike her older sister's habit.
"Did… Did anyone die in that mission of yours, Asui? You kinda look like how Mandalay does when she comes back from a really bad assignment." Kota asked in an unusually quiet voice, his spiked hat in his hands as he stared at the adults with a look of understanding in his eyes.
"No kids. Thankfully, no one died. We almost did, though, and it was because of an intern that's only a few years older than you thought they were good enough and had a strong enough Quirk to rescue the hostages on his own. You can imagine what the result was." Tsuyu explained, a sad smile on her face as she croaked.
"…At least the mission ended in success, right? Asu…er…Satsuki told us that you helped get everyone rescued after things went really bad. That's what matters, right?" Eri questioned, frowning alongside the other children when all three adults shook their heads.
"Maybe, Eri, but it didn't have to go bad. People were hurt needlessly and unnecessary risks were taken to get the job done. Just because everything worked out in the end, it doesn't mean that there won't be any consequences." Izuku said, his voice stern as he spoke, causing all three kids to stand straight instinctively from his tone.
"Izuku's right, kids. When you become heroes yourselves, sometimes you will end up dealing with those who think they're better than others. Those who believe that they can do anything and those who will do whatever it takes in order to get the job done. Yes, there are a number of villains who are like that, but there are also a number of heroes who can be just as condescending as well. It's ok to be proud of being a hero, but never be so arrogant about it that you think you're some kind of hotshot, and if you do end up dealing with one of these guys, don't be afraid to confront them about their actions if they act out of line, or go to a superior if necessary. You are all bright and wonderful kids who will become amazing heroes eventually, and I don't want any of you to get hurt, or worse, because someone was being stupid like that student Tsu had to deal with…" Ochako added in the most serious tone any of the children have ever heard from her. She even called Izuku by his first name, which was something she rarely did unless she was angry or making a point. The kids, Kota and Eri especially, took their words to heart, as they themselves had been in horrid situations in the past, and all of them definitely wanted to avoid such fates if they could help it.
"Scary thought, isn't it…? We're sorry if we scared you, but it's best that you know about this stuff early on so that you can be on the look out in the future. Thankfully, the schools have been seriously cracking down on students with poor attitudes like what I had to deal with, ribbit. I am not joking when I say that we would've died because of him, and for that, his hero career was cut before it was even started. Honestly, I would've taken high school Bakugo over that kid. At least he knew when to be level headed when the situation called for it, even back then." Tsuyu said with a bit of a joking tone in the end, getting slight chuckles out of everyone and lightening the mood.
"Yeah… Kacchan was pretty ruthless back then, huh. At least he's mellowed out a little." Izuku admitted, scratching the back of his neck as Ochako shook her head ruefully at his statement.
"Deku, he still tells his opponents to die and goes overboard with his explosions. Not to mention swearing like there's no tomorrow and calling everyone those weird nicknames. He hasn't stopped calling me doll-face since high school." The brunette added, letting off a breathy laugh as she recalled all the ridiculous names the trigger-happy hero had for all their former classmates.
"At least he didn't name you after French food like he did me, ribbit. Even after all this time, he can be quite abrasive. How you, Eijiro and that Camie girl he's seeing put up with him after so long baffles me to this day, Izuku." Tsuyu said with a mild tone of distaste, getting an uncomfortable laugh from her host in the process, before pulling out her phone with a soft hum. "Looks like it's getting late. Satsuki and I have to get going. Fumi's coming over to my place with some food and I want to get there before my brother and parents eat everything again."
"Yeah, and I gotta get going, too. Mandalay will ground me for a month if I get home late again. I'm already on two strikes because I stayed out too long at the arcade a few times…" Kota shrugged, ignoring the frowns he was getting in response, before looking up at Izuku with an awkward, if grateful, smile. "Eh…Thanks for letting me come over, Izuku. It was…kinda fun hanging out with Eri in your house. I guess… Can we…come again sometime?"
"Of course, Kota. You can come and visit whenever you like. I'm sure Eri will love having you over more often." Izuku promised, smiling at the flushed expression and words of denial from the embarrassed child.
The three hosts bid their guests farewell as they watched them leave, happy to have had some company over. Even though the subject got a little heavy towards the end, everyone had a fairly good time together. It was a nice change of pace from the norm, where it was usually Eri alone with either of her guardians as they waited patiently for the other to return… Wondering if they were ok on their patrol or mission…
"Dad…?" "Deku…?"
"Huh?" Izuku grunted, unaware that he was lost in thought, and proceeded to give his girls a weak laugh when he noticed them staring at him in concern. "Ah. Sorry, you two. Got distracted by some things. It's ok."
"…Was it about Miss Tsu and her work, Dad?" Eri asked softly, her eyes filled with understanding as she led her caretakers over to the couch, where all three of them sat with the child sandwiched between the adults.
"…Something like that, yeah." Izuku admitted with a sigh, gently rubbing Eri's head as Ochako leaned onto his shoulder in comfort. "It's mostly just thoughts that come into my mind whenever things get…hectic on the job. You know better than most kids your age how dangerous our line of work is. How easily we can lose our lives. I'm always on the front lines, constantly in the middle of battle to take out whatever villain is causing trouble, while Ochako works on support, getting civilians out of dangerous locations while ensuring their safety. We work hard every day to keep the peace…to make sure that nothing bad ever happens to you…but not a day goes by where I don't wonder if I would ever see you again… Both of you… It…scares me, more than I could ever imagine."
"It's the same for me, too, Deku. Maybe even more so, considering your position and what you're ultimately going to become." Ochako said softly, her eyes shimmering as she pulled both her lover and daughter into a tight embrace "You're the future symbol of peace, the one who will protect the world with a smile on his face. You are going to be constantly facing monstrous villains, and will always be staring death in the face, just to ensure that everyone's protected. I'm always scared that you will go too far…that you'll end up going over the edge and end up hurt beyond repair trying to rescue someone, like All Might… Or worse…"
"Ochako…" Izuku muttered, knowing exactly what his girlfriend was hinting at, and simply tightened his hold on her as he felt her trembling.
"I know…" She whispered, leaning further into Izuku and Eri as she tried continue. "I know you do your best to come home safely. I'm there with you to make sure of that. But sometimes…it just scares me to know that you…that all of our friends…are out there right now, risking their lives and even their sanity to protect the innocent. Like with Tsu. When we were told that she had to go over to Yakushima for that mission, I was happy and proud that she was going to be a part of a rescue operation, but also really scared because of how dangerous it could be. The fact that she nearly died, due to a careless mistake of an intern…? I was so shocked that she told us that…but also relieved beyond belief that she was able to live through it. She's my best friend, just like you and Iida…and I can't imagine my life without any of you…or any of our friends. I know its silly. We chose to become heroes after all. We were aware of the dangers this job has when we literally went to school for it… But I just can't help worrying sometimes."
"It's not silly, Mom. I have those thoughts, too. Especially when the both of you are out at work while I'm here alone with Mikan…" Eri admitted, feeling bad when she felt her guardians stiffen, practically tasting the guilt they were letting out, before giving the pair the biggest hug her small arms could muster. "I'm fine with it, though, because I know you two will come home eventually. The both of you are too strong and too stubborn to be beaten or give up. Those are just some of the reasons why I like you both so much…and why I was so happy when Mr. Aizawa told me that you two will be taking care of me for now on. You're two of the greatest heroes I know, and I hope that I'll end up as good as you…and everyone else one day."
The moment those words escaped Eri's mouth, both Izuku and Ochako couldn't help the tears that fell from their faces. They were touched by her words, and couldn't hold themselves back as they proceeded to embrace their daughter in all but blood even tighter, causing her to giggle when the super-strength hero began running his cheek through her head while the gravity heroine was peppering her face with affectionate kisses. The two adults were more than grateful to the girl in their arms, and were proud at how far she had come since her rescue… She was scarred, immensely so, but was still strong, and had grown even stronger as time went on, and the fact that such a girl was now a part of their lives, it gave them the resolve to not only work harder as heroes, but ensure that they would always return to her, no matter what.
They are a family, after all.
Prompt 14: Job Work
Author's notes: And that is number 14, everyone. Like I said, a little on the heavy side, but expected with the theme. This is a fluffy slice-of-life story, more or less, but there will be moments like these popping up every so often in any life style, no matter how good it may seem. Thankfully, everyone in this little family is strong, and will do their best to ensure that their family will not fall apart. Tomorrow's chapter is going to be definitely more lighthearted than this, will introduce a couple more characters, and maybe even answer a few questions along the way. With that all said, thank you all so much for reading my work, everyone. It's truly a pleasure to see so many people enjoying my fic and I hope I am making you all happy with what I've been putting out. Take care, Heroes, and I will see you tomorrow for the next post.
Farewell, and remember: Go Beyond. Plus Ultra!