Chapter 4

Masaru is a calm man. His co-workers think of him as a cool and collected person. He does his job diligently, and cares about his family and friends. Aside from his wife, his best friend is Inko.

He walked her down the hall in her wedding day for god's sake! She is one of his closest friends, period. He was also the man that punched her scum of an ex that dared to just up and leave her, just because his son, his life and blood, was quirkless. Inko was of course upset about this, not knowing whether to cry over her predicament at that time or to laugh at the indignant face of her ex.

He didn't worry much over his family's safety. Mitsuki was a minor pyromancer who knows how to punch someone in the places that will do damage. His son Katsuki, has inherited her brashness and ferocity, coupled with his own explosive nature, made him a dangerous person to anger.

So their safety was guaranteed.

Inko and her son's safety … not much. It was the reason he decided to live close by, fearing that anything could happen to them and he was too far away to reach them in time. Mitsuki at first was against this decision, the first time he saw his wife being jealous of all things. Yet, after meeting Inko, and bringing Katsuki to play with her son, she understood completely his reasoning.

He failed in protecting her from that asshole of an ex, and he will not fail scrutinizing every other male who has any kind of attention on her.

It was no surprise that after that incident – a horrible day that Katsuki still has nightmares about till now – that he would recognise the detective who has been with them at the briefing. He was very suspicious of him, but after seeing him interact with Izuko, and see the genuine concern the detective has over the two, he decides that he was a safe man to keep nearby.

And Izuko adores the detective anyway, he couldn't begrudge him of a father figure.

It was when he discovered about Inko's crush over a – skeleton – man that he starts to worry.

First of all, that man could be a decade older than her. Inko is still in her thirties, the man looks like he'll fit in a nursery house. It might be rude to say this, but he is concerned for Inko and Izuku's safety only, not the man's feelings.

Second, he coughs blood. He is obviously in a serious health risk, and Inko doesn't need to fuss over someone else, not when her own disabled son needs all the attention – which he gets from her anyways for she is an amazing mother. That man will definitely stress her more.

Third, he knows nothing about him. He knows that he works with the police, or is a police officer himself, a friend of the detective. He was probably half Japanese, not from looks but from his vocabulary, either that or he has lived for a while outside of Japan.

Fourthly … his forth reason was …

He didn't have any, instead, he has a counter argument to himself.

The few times Skeleton man did come, it seems to be with a goal to see Inko smile. Not to mention, he spends time with Izuku, always talking and playing with him, sometimes with the Detective joining in. They all paint a very beautiful and serene picture together, and Mr Yagi doesn't intend in causing any harm.

He is a police officer after all. If he didn't know any better, he'd think that Detective Naomasa has been setting them up without their knowing.

With all these thoughts in mind, he decides to butt in the next time the man visits, and give him the much deserved talk.

That was how Masaru found himself sitting next to the blonde as Inko readies herself for an 'outing'. Masaru scoffs. It's nice to know that Izuku inherited his cluelessness from her, for he was sure that Mr Yagi trying to take her out for coffee was in the intent of a date, not a chatter between friends.

"So … what do you work as?" He looks sideways, the man had his hands together in a nervous habit. He jumps at his sound and chuckles.

"Right now, with the police. I'll start teaching at UA next year." Masaru raises his brows, surprised by the answer. Didn't Yuuei only accept Pro-Heroes as teachers? Frowning, he starts to form a picture in his mind. After much thought, he decides to ask.

"Are you a hero?"

"I didn't say that." Mr Yagi says confidently, Masaru narrows his eyes at him.

So he is a hero, and in his civilian identity.

"Does Inko know?" He questions, turning around and pinning him down with his no-nonsense stare that Katsuki hates. It always left his son feeling guilty, or so entrapped that he'd blurt everything out. While Katsuki did have his explosive nature, he was his father, he has to learn how to curb it as his son aged, and his wife was worse anyways. He was forced to become the only rational and calm person to live under their roof, not an appealing job to be forced in.

Mr Yagi was not immune. Evident by his stutter and wild hand movements.

"She does! She does know! That's how we met. I-" He stops as if remembering that this was supposed to be a secret. It was at this moment that his demeanour changes.

Gone was the meek thin frame of a man, replaced by an silent and irate skeleton, shadows covering his face with his eyes glowing a bright blue and staring at him with something unrecognisable. It didn't help that the man appeared taller than he is.

"How did you make me answer like that?" He demands, and Masaru cursed. He wasn't dealing with children now, this was a grown man, and from what he has gathered, an experienced Hero, of course he'll realize that there was something off.

"It's my quirk, I can force someone to answer my question by pressuring their emotions. People always answer when they are too happy or too angry. However, if they are sad or depressed, it could lead to series consequences."

"With a quirk like that, you could have gotten a job with the police." Mutters the man, leaning back on the chair, the shadows disappearing from sight.

Masaru doesn't find any appeal in police work. He's happy with where he is. Not to mention the fact that his quirks works when he himself is pressed for the answers, it couldn't be triggered otherwise.

He once got an answer from his professor in that way.

"So she does know, and she seems okay with. I don't. How do I know that you won't bring any harm to her or Izuku because of your job?" He questions, looking away. The man doesn't answer as he looks down at his hands. Minutes later, Masaru was about to declare him unfit for his friend, but was cut off by the man's words.

"The first time I saw Izuku, a villain was about to attack him. Your son was with him at that time as well."

This surprises him, as he has never heard this before.

"Naomasa was driving by, making sure that the two are safe. He does this with every victim he was concerned for. It was hardly the first time he did it. When we did pass by the two, I noticed someone who was about to attack. Fortunately, he saw the police car and didn't, it gave me the time to chase him while Naomasa made sure the children were safe. He came back to pick me up after the two reached your house and found me injured. Your neighbourhood is unnaturally far from any medical centre, so he took me to Inko."

Masaru slowly turns to look at the man as the story progress, the man gradually gaining his attention.

"Naomasa of course explained to her what happened, and I was bleeding all over her house. She never said anything about it, she only worried about my health. It was something nice, only Naomasa would ask after me, and now to have someone else start to ask for your health, and make sure you're okay after living in loneliness for decades now … I start to treasure these moments."

"… What about Izuku?"

"What do you mean what about Izuku?"

"His biological father left him because he was quirkless up till his second year kindergarten. Then when it was apparent that he does have a quirk, he still denies ever visiting him for his disability. He uses it as an excuse and expresses his disappointment with it. So if you're into Inko and are planning to push her son away, you might as well-"

"I was planning on making him my successor."

Masaru blinks. That was … a surprise.

"Even if Ms Inko didn't recuperate my feelings. I was going to ask him to be my successor."

"As in, he takes your title?"

"Yes."

"Katsuki will shit bricks if he heard this." He says loudly, ignoring the skeleton's choked voice. His son will definitely get pissed if he heard of this. While he is very supportive of his friend, he still worries. Their dreams of being pro heroes was a slightly jarred painting for his son, as he seems to have taken it upon himself to protect his friend from everything.

It was a concern, especially for a parent, to find that your son is obsessed over someone. He did ask him at the end, and found out that Katsuki feels an immense amount of guilt for the incident. Something he shouldn't even feel, they were only kids at that time and he couldn't do anything to save Izuku. Heck, he even protected him until help arrived, not leaving even then. In fact, they had to force him away.

"Your title, whatever it is you codename is, is it risky?"

"Heroes are always in risk." That wasn't reassuring. Izuku is a second son to him, his real son is too blind to admit his feelings as well, not to mention that he is paralysed. If he himself have problems with the idea of letting him fight out there against villains that aren't above killing … he wondered how everyone else were feeling..

"You do know he's paralysed."

"I would have asked even if he was quirkless." This snapped his attention back to the man. Maybe Mr Yagi was a support hero, and that's why he didn't know him, his work could be safe for Izuku. "Real heroes don't do what they do for fame and money, but to help people, no matter what. Izuku has shown from an early age that he will always help people. He is a child whom cares about the well beings of others. He doesn't see an all-out fight as the only way to solve things. In addition, he helps strangers with his quirk and chucking it to the fact that he was disabled and is allowed to use it, that the police couldn't arrest him for his actions. This actually worries Naomasa and Inko a lot, it did worry me until I saw him help someone once."

"Okay, stop. Just, stop," He understood. The man wants Izuku as his successor, fine. He's still a good boxer, and Mitsuki can do a lot worse than he can if something did happen to Izuku. He wouldn't even think what Katsuki would do if something does happen, hell will be raised that day.

Knowing that Izuku is safe, he changes the subject, returning to the old one is more like it. "You want to get into Inko's panties? Then you need to stop acting so formal with her. She loves her son, alright? Anything against the little kid is against her. But seeing how you're intending to make him your sidekick, I don't think you'll have much of a problem. Just make sure he doesn't get hurt by a villain, he has this weird thing that happens to him when it happens. He basically snaps and loses control until he has no more energy left or have Katsuki start talking to him."

"What?" Yagi's voice was shocked, confused and a tune of a newly evolving fear lingering in.

"She doesn't like roses, too romantic in her opinion, get her any other flower that's cutesy, like lavender or something, just make sure it's colourful."

"Excuse me, but-"

"No fish restaurants, she already has enough from Detective baseball."

"Can you at least let me tal-"

"She doesn't admit it anymore, but she always hoarded soft teddy animals. Izuku has a stash of it in his closet, I think. Katsuki kept complaining about how girly that was. I personally think it's Inko buying him toys."

"That's actually cute." Mutters the man, Masaru clicks his tongue.

"But know this, Mr Yagi. Inko has been my friend since middle school. I've been with her through all her troubles, and I personally punched her ex. I will not hesitate punching you as well. Both my wife and son will not be pleased either." He was pretty sure that the light reflected off of his glasses, preventing the man from looking into his eyes. Yet he still enjoyed the gulping motion the blond made, nodding.

"I see."

"I'm hoping that you hear too."

0o0o0

Izuku nervously rubs his arms.

This weekend. It was this weekend. His mom was so excited and he was going to surprise Kacchan. It was now a matter of how to announce the news to his friend without angering him.

He found himself in the same spot that they used to hang out at years ago. The park, watching the skies on the hill. Katsuki sitting upright instead of laying down, to prevent the sun from shinning onto his own eyes.

"Do you know how we never played in the park?"

"Yeah." Katsuki says, not focusing on him.

"How we never went to hikes?"

"Yes." The blond says, turning around to look at him.

"H-How we don't know the comparisons of our heights together?"

"I'm 172 cm, sooner or later, I'll be taller than average anyways, so you're not going to reach my height, ever. You're tiny, Izuchan." Katsuki boosts, grinning at the fact, most Japanese men don't reach that height, and he was growing further than that.

"I am not." Huffs the dark haired boy, but Katsuku sent him a look that says 'stoop fooling yourself'. "Okay, yeah, so I'm still 166, that doesn't mean I'm not getting there! You're the abnormally large one."

"You're stuck with your puny little height, all that's left is for you to dye your hair blue so I can call you a smurf."

"Rude, Kacchan."

"At least I'm not a crybaby." Izuku's hands does a fast jab to the side. It results into Katsuki's head being smacked, even if his hands were never near his head. It was a new move that he started to learn. A physical barrier that he could create away from his body. Sometimes, he forgets that his quirk wasn't a variety quirk, it wasn't a quirk that was stuck with a limit or a concept.

He could do anything imaginable with a it.

He only recently started getting imaginative with it. His license allowed him to use it publically, so the police officers wouldn't arrest him any time soon. He makes sure to use his quirk in a new, different way than what he usually does, just to discover new techniques. His notebook was starting to fill up, and he was excited with the prospect of starting a new one filled mostly with his own quirk.

Kacchan's own quirk doesn't evolve, it only gets stronger the older we grow, and uses less sweat than what he used to need when they were children.

"So why did you ask those things?"

"…" How does he say it without his friend exploding on him. "I … wanted to walk, for a long time now."

"Understandable."

"Before the accident, I used to resent people with quirks." Katsuki doesn't reply, more likely that he doesn't know how to reply to something like that. "Then, when I did get a quirk, I started resenting them for their ability to walk."

"It's not your fault that you can't walk, Izuku."

"I … still feel guilty. I make mama cry … and I make you sad." Kacchan's breath hitches, he looks away. "I feel guilty for making everyone feel like this. They always whisper behind our backs, and you always act like it doesn't affect you."

"It doesn't matter, Izuchan. You're still amazing the way you are. Whatever those people have to say, it's wrong anyways, people think that I'll turn into a villain, me?!" His friend mumbles, making Izuku's heart fill with happiness.

"I still wanted to do something, to make you two, your parents, and even Uncle Naomasa and Mr Toshinori happy. I wanted everyone to be proud of me … so I trained." Katsuki looks back in confusion, a question was about to form on his tongue.

"Rehab, Kacchan. I trained in rehab. They had a device like a hook, you would get strapped on it on you would walk between two parallel bars. Three times a week since the surgery. It was difficult. I couldn't carry myself in the first few months, I always depended on my quirk. I felt like a failure."

"Izuchan …"

"But I trained, I trained for years now. I didn't let not one appointment go to waste. I built up my hand muscles enough to carry me, then tried my best to just stand. It took so long just to take a few steps and- and-" He tears up and brings his hands to his face, trying to rub them away. He suddenly felt himself being lifted up, and knew that he was now in a seating possession being held by his friend.

"Look at me Izuchan." But he refused, hiding his face behind his hands. "Fucking look at me?!" Flinching, he slowly moves them away to do as he was told. He was struck by what he saw.

Kacchan was crying.

Kacchan never cried. He raged, curses, explodes, and fights. But he never cries. Yet here he was, sun shining behind his head making an odd placed shadow on his face with tear tracks visibly trailing down his cheeks.

"C-Can you walk?" Izuku was now struck with realization and an immense amount of remorse. He didn't mean to bring his friend's hope up, not like this. Instead of admitting the truth, he starts crying again. This time flinging himself on his friend and hiding his face on his shoulder and pressing him close to himself.

"I-I can't, Kacchan. I failed. I j-just take stupid small steps every time I try. A-And I need these stupid braces to strap on myself, a-and crutches! I can't walk without them because I'm a failure!?" He felt the gravity shift around him, something he always did when he felt his quirk going ballistic. Sometimes, emotions escaped him, and he couldn't focus on control, not when he felt too much about something else entirely.

"Shut up. Just fucking shut up." Kacchan moves him away, now looking directly at Izuku with his hands on his shoulders.

Kacchan, he always did wake him up before he could lose any control.

Little by little, he lets go, his hands shaking as he does so, and watching him with complete awe and amazement. Izuku doesn't understand what was so great about himself to cause these kind of emotions in his friend. Didn't he hear him? He failed, he couldn't walk even after so long, so long of hard work and pain of trying over and over with failure as a result, to only be rewarded with meagre success at the end.

"Hey, Izuchan, do you remember when we were kids … When you needed straps on your wheelchair?" Kacchan asks, and he nods.

"Do you remember how I used to carry you everywhere?" He nods again. "That time we've been here, you couldn't even sit without help."

He looks down at his lap, and realized what his friend was trying to tell him.

"I was helping you sit up for a long time, but as time went by, you didn't need help. You started sitting on your own, did you know? You stopped needing help to reach things, because you started learning how to use your quirk and leaning your back. When we were kids, you didn't even feel your legs most of the time." He then puts his hands on his ankles.

"What about now?"

"I-I can feel your hands."

"Then you've fucking improved?!" He yells, making him flinch again. "Do you honestly think that I care about you not able to run a freaking marathon? Do you?! I was there when you couldn't even sit up on bed, you big dumb … DEKU?!" This time, he felt like jumping, but Katsuki pulled him back into a hug, surrounding his arms around his back, now sobbing loudly.

He felt speechless, no words forming in his mind, none the less come out of his mouth.

He felt himself slowly hug Kacchan back, letting his friend cry for the first time for a very long time.

"I don't care, alright. You start walking like a mouse, and I'll kick anyone who makes fun of you for that. Just- Just don't hide anything from me anymore."

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, i-I thought it'd be a s-surprise, but t-then I got frustrated b-because-"

"Shut up, Deku."

Gravity returned to the area around them, neither of the boys noticed a bird's nest gently falling back on its previous branch … nor the figure standing further away watching them.

0o0o0

"This is really embarrassing." He hears from behind the door. Katsuki doesn't want to force him to come out, not for something like this.

Aunty Inko was directly in front of the door, her hands on her chest and intertwined with each other. Mr Yagi, her new boyfriend apparently, something that his father hated very much for a long time yet is surprisingly lenient with right now, was looking at both the door and Aunt Inko with worry. He stood by her as an emotional support.

Everyone else were a bit behind, waiting for those two to by the first witnesses before them. Both his parents were anxious, he himself felt like detonating something from worry, his hands producing more sweat from the apprehension.

The only two who weren't fretting over anything was Detective Naomasa, and Katsuki doesn't know whether it's because the detective has a bland expressionless resting face or that he was consciously hiding his unease, and a trainer at the back.

They were at the Rehab centre, and today was the day Izuku got his leg braces.

"I-I don't want to come out." He heard his friend say, he was probably too scared to do anything anyways. "It feels awkward."

The trainer sighs dramatically.

"Don't worry Ms Midoriya. Your son is quite amazing actually, for someone with his condition to start even standing up so soon is a miracle. It might be his quirk at work."

"His condition?" Katsuki wonders aloud, looking at the woman. She has milky white eyes with no irises visible. Looking at them makes him wonder if she was blind or not, and if she was, how did she start working in a rehab centre, the idea sounds ironic to him.

"If his back was still stiff, he would have been stuck to the wheelchair forever. If not, underwent surgery, and didn't advance rehab training, he would have been stuck with a HKAFO brace. Fortunately, he did do everything, and is now using a KAFO Brace."

"What's the difference between those two?" He asks.

"HKAFO is a Hip-Knee-Ankle-Feet-Orthotic, which means his brace will go up to the hips. KAFO is from above the knee to the feet, Knee-Ankle-Foot-Orthotic. Things would have been harder with the first one. He would have needed to visibly wear it above his clothes as well, and I know that Izuku wants to be a hero, if people knew that he needs braces, it would have made his life harder."

"You're okay with him being a hero? Even if he's paralysed?"

"Have you seen that kid's quirk? We both know he doesn't need walking to do some saving." She winks at him, Katsuki huffs and looks at the door, Izuku's mom still trying to talk him out. "Unfortunately, even with the braces, he wouldn't be able to walk for long, he's classified as an Ambulator with the need of physical assistance. That means he'll always need someone to help him walk, in case of any emergency. I was hoping that we could have reached the need for supervision only, but I don't want to risk his health."

"He still needs help?"

"He'll still need to use his wheelchair as well. He can definitely walk inside buildings with both braces and canes, but he'll get too tired after that, he'll need a wheelchair."

"So what's the point of all of this?!" He demands loudly, silence followed his question as everyone turns to look at the two of them. "What's the point of him training so hard when he still needs someone to walk, you're telling me all this time was wasted?!"

He breathes harshly, only then noticing the stilted silence of the room. Looking around him, he noticed the look of pain and disappointment hidden in everyone's eyes and growls at them.

"Well fuck you guys?! Izuku doesn't even need to walk, he can fucking FLY." He stomps to the door and angrily slams his arm to the door. "Get out nerd, we're ditching this place."

The involuntary smack to the head was received by none other than his mother.

"You are one insensitive little jerk."

"I don't care?! Alright, I don't fucking care." And the involuntary fight has been issued, with only him and his mom fighting, his father trying to dissuade them at first but giving up later – or at times joins them. The surprised reaction from strangers that must be accompanied, this time by the doctor-

And the surprising laugh that came from behind him.

He whirls in his spot to see him next to Aunty Inko, with giggles escaping his lips, both her and Mr Yagi joining in while Detective Naomasa only smiles.

Izuku was there, standing, his full his full tiny 166 cm height.

Katsuki was gobsmacked.

He didn't know how it was possible, but Izuku managed to look more beautiful than he already was. Even though he didn't know if it was because he was standing, or that he was laughing his heart out. His freckles prominent and distinguishable from the light flush appearing on his face. His closed eyes that tears ready to come out from the laughter.

Then everything freezes.

More beautiful? What the fuck?

Izuku was not beautiful, he was handsome- No wait. No. Izuku was okay, he was an okay looking guy. Katsuki did not find him beautiful or amazing. No-No-No-No! The crybaby will whine if he ever said that to him.

"You'll catch flies with your mouth open like that Kacchan." Katsuki blinks and realizes that Izuku has walked to stand in front of him.

"This is weird." He mumbles, his friend tilts his head in questioning. "I meant, I'm used to looking down, and I'm still looking down. You're weak ass short."

Now, it was Izuku who was gaping.

"I can stand up, and that's what you're going to say to me?"

"What do you want me to say then? Let's go in a race? Do you want to get stuck standing in a mall? I told you before and I'll tell you know, Deku, I don't care if you can walk," He cares, he cares very much. "As long as you're happy, and do what you like, I don't care. Screw whoever says otherwise."

He was a hypocrite.

But it was worth it, it was worth it because Izuku's shy smile was a therapeutic experience when it was so close to his vision.

"A-Anyways, we agreed that you'll fly most of the time. You'll only walk a few times so that people wouldn't question it."

"That's a really smart way of thinking young Katsuki. It can help Izuku in hiding his civilian identity as well, if he wore a full mask that is. Then when he is out of his hero duty he'll be on a wheelchair or using braces, no one would really suspect him to be a hero like that." Mr Yagi says, his hand was on his chin and he was probably thinking aloud. His impossibly blue eyes glowing and staring down at the ground. His father scoffs.

"That comes from experience I presume."

"Masaru." Both his mom and Aunty Inko scold him, but his father only pulls a face at them, and then aggressively pulls the same face on Mr Yagi, who only blinks in concern.

Aunty Inko then turns around and smiles broadly at them, she walks up and hugs her son, Izuku laughs and hugs her back, letting go of the crutches, Katsuki moved fast so that it wouldn't hit the ground.

"W-We need to celebrate this. Let's go out into a restaurant, whatever you want Izuchan." His mother tells him, Izuku grins and stares at Detective Naomasa.

"Let's go to a beef speciality restaurant." The detective's hand twitched. "I know someone who'll really like it."

Aside from him and his parents, everyone turned to stare at the detective, even the doctor herself. She snorts loudly.

"Naomasa? Likes meat? I didn't know you had such a change of heart since graduation."

"I really don't." Mutters the man but sighs gravely.

They ended up in a vegetarian place anyways, only Mr Yagi and Aunty Inko enjoying it.

Katsuki suspects that their first date was here.

0o0o0

Izuku was watching that video.

It was a very old one, older than a decade even, and it still gets views. Inko bets that half of it were from her son himself. She looks to the side and finds his new braces. Something he'll only use at school, he wouldn't be able to use it much in the city without tiring himself.

A warm feeling fills up her heart.

Izuku can walk. He can walk and she felt so much joy, enough to bring her into tears. She kept hugging her son for the rest of the weekend, and she never excused herself not once.

She felt so much pride for him, after working for so long to achieve what he did, it was painstakingly difficult. Every doctor told her that he was a hopeless case, but she did her best to stop her son from hearing those negative thoughts.

Yet, she knew he heard them. Their house was small, and she could always hear his crying whenever they returned from an appointment.

Her son doesn't remember a time where he used to walk, at least not well enough. The idea of him in a wheelchair has always been the norm for him, and she would think that he never really wanted to walk.

Not when, like Katsuki have said, not when he can fly.

Still, the nights where their house's items found themselves magically floating around, always in a specific pattern. Sometimes in high speeds, threatening to crash and leave rubble behind, sometimes in a slow pace, showing how tiered her son has been that day.

She always feared the times he would lose control of himself, it wasn't as often as it has been when he was a child, but was still there.

It reminded her too much of her Ex-husband. Shuddering a breath, Izuku's attention snapped to her direction, and smiles widely at her.

She couldn't help but feel silly, Izuku, like his father? Never.

"Mom! Want to watch with me?" She usually declines, when you have all the lines committed in memory along with the laugh, it's a sure sign that you have seen it too much. She still found herself walking to her son. He starts flying and hovers over the chair, grinning.

"Izuku, how many times have we gone through this, you should sit down on your chair."

"But we don't have another one, where will you sit?" Such a caring child, what did she ever to deserve him, he definitely hasn't inherited any of this from his father. She sits and immediately figured out on which part of the video they were in.

A man crying, exclaiming the impossibility of the situation. Another yells and shouts, pointing to a place, and a hero emerges, carrying many victims turned survivors with a wide smile.

Her own smile broke down into a straight line.

All Might was a strong man, the ultimate hero of his time … but he isn't anymore.

Without feeling it, she brought her hands to her chest, feeling sadness creep in.

All might throws a car outside, and she gasps.

Images of her Izuchan being in the same situation, where an enemy is in rampage, the darkness clashes harshly with the light of the fire. Civilians are in need of saving, and her own Izuchan, trying to save everyone while deflecting the enemy at the same time. Needing to do split decisions that decides the end of lives, his life included.

She couldn't, she doesn't want him to be in those situations. She was too scared for his well-being, this is her son, her only child, her whole life centred around one person that she could never imagine to be more hurt than he has already felt. Not when she couldn't save him from a fall that broke his back and forced him in a chair for up to a decade and more, not when she couldn't protect him from all the bullying that he has been enduring.

"Izuku, we need to talk." She says softly, pausing the video. Her son tilts his head, his body following suit, his hair now falling sideways and his possession was slightly ajar, his feet going up and his head moving down.

She stands up and pulls him down to his bed, keeping her hands on his.

"What do you think about Toshinori?"

"… He's a great person. He's a police man too, and Uncle Naomasa wouldn't befriend anyone who wasn't genuine. So I think he's great."

"Honey, I'm going to tell you something, but the rest is going to be told by Toshinori himself."

"Mom, if it's about you two dating, I don't really mind. Like I said, he's a great person, and he's actually very knowledgeable about many Quirks, he's really observant." Inko blushes, she does tend to forget about them dating. Nothing much changed between their relationship aside from visiting new cafes from time to time, and she felt happy with just that. Izuku doesn't seem to mind, as he has said. He has probably figured that this would happen at some point in his life and went with it. Shaking her head, she continues talking.

"He's going to teach at Yuuei next year." She told him, he frowns, his eyes then slowly starts to widen. She could hear the cogs in his mind working as he starts to analyse what he just heard.

"B-But- Only pro heroes can teach there!"

"What does that mean, honey?"

"Mr Toshinori is a hero? H-How can that be? I write down every known hero, even some underground ones. Is his quirk a stealth kind? No that's not write, he can withstand physical attacks, but he coughs up blood later – That's really concerning mom, we should take him to a doctor – it doesn't sound stealthy." He starts mumbling under his breath, and Inko couldn't help but smile at him.

"Izuchan … will you let me continue?" Izuku snaps his mouth shut and rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Sorry."

"Anyways," She chuckles. "Since he's going to work there, he can add you to the recommended list." That definitely left her son speechless. He looks at her with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth. The recommendation will guarantee you a seat in the school after all, and they test you in which department you'll end up in. No wonder her son couldn't formulate a thought.

For the first time in her life, she could honestly say that her son's brain has stopped formulating thought.

"He can recommend you for your smarts, so that you wouldn't need to do the physical exam." He blinks and starts expressing his refusal of the idea.

"I can't. Mom, I can't! T-Then, what's the point of training for very long, I can't let it go to waste, and I want to go in with Kacchan. I can't leave him alone there, he doesn't really need my help to get in but I don't want to leave him behind like that!"

"He'll recommend you for the hero department, but for your smarts alone."

"I'm not even that smart!"

"We get Uncle Naomasa to back up Toshinori's recommendation, he's a really well known detective you know. You're plenty of smart and Naomasa already talks about your analysing skills."

"Mom, still, I … I'll feel like a cheater. That I don't deserve that spot." She honestly doesn't know if he has inherited anything from his father. Aside from those freckles, and the wild mane of hair, she couldn't see anything from him. Sighing, she hugs her son.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll do the exam, and I'll ace it!" He gave her his contagious smile, but she needed to tell him something else as well.

"How about Toshinori? You're okay with him?"

"As in, am I okay with him being a hero and dating you? Yes! I'm absolutely okay. How did you find out anyways, or did he tell you about it?"

"No, Izuku, I didn't know how to bring this up before, but I guess now's the time to do it. There isn't an easy way to say it, but … you have been targeted since you were a child."

"What?" Shock was evident on his voice.

"Since you started exhibiting more of your quirk. You were supposed to be a secret, and you are. Toshinori is the only hero who knows, and both Naomasa and the police chief do, along with some officials. But somehow, someone did find out, and they've-" she starts tearing up, making her son panic.

"It's okay mom, nothing happened to me yet, I'm okay, please calm down." After hearing those words on repeat, she did calm down, but her tears were still there.

"They've been trying to kidnap you."

"Why didn't I know any of this?"

"Izuchan, you were a child at that time, and we already had someone protecting us …"

"… You mean Mr Toshinori?"

"He's been protecting you and Katsuki since you were children, away from your sight apparently if you have never noticed him, but he would chase any villain away and try to find out who has been trying to take you. Up until now, we know nothing."

"Even with Uncle Naomasa's quirk?"

"Even then. That's why … that's why I didn't want you to take the exam. I'm scared, honey. I'm scared that people will start spreading talks about your quirk. Even as a secret you've been targeted, what would happen if more people knew?"

"…"

"T-Then we'll have to be extra careful about protecting you, maybe even change homes at some point-"

"Mom," He cuts her off. She looks at her son to see him give her a look of determination. "I-I don't need protecting anymore. Don't worry about me, because I'm strong. Kacchan's always with me too, and he's a worry wart. Also, since you told me, Mr Toshinori is protecting me … I wouldn't be easily harmed."

Inko sobs and flings herself on her son, giving him an even tighter hug than before. He hugs her back, not having the heart to push her away. They end up laying on the bed until they both fell asleep, Inko still tearing till the last of her consciousness.

Her son is safe, she doesn't need to worry. He was a strong child, and has an amazing control of himself. She shouldn't worry like this, but she couldn't help it.

A mother always worries.

AN:-

Concerning the braces, like mentioned, it's the KAFO type that you can hide under your clothes. I stared at way too many braces to make these, every time thinking "Please god don't let this happen to me in the future".

I was very hesitant to choose between Naomasa/Inko or Toshinori/Yagi, the latter won by way of suggestion and popularity. The relationship has been happening for years and Izuko saw it a mile away, when they did start dating, nothing changed in their life dynamics, it's only a title they started using only. It's also why he never called Toshinor Uncle, he thought it would be awkward if he did.

It's after this chapter that things start to pick up, I know, this must have been one hell of an epilogue without calling it one.

I fell asleep proof reading this, and woke up with the realization that today wasn't the deadline (I try to finish and update on Fridays).