A/N I have been hit by the inspiration train carrying a metric fuck ton of "YOU CAN DO IT!" This is actually my second attempt at this chapter, I didn't like how it was going the first time. But I realized that I have done a lot of angst with some fluff and feels mixed in. This time I wanted to do the opposite and this is what I Came up with. I can't promise I did it well, but I hope y'all enjoy it. :-)
here is the genderbent Present Mic
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Darkpaladin89: Good plan. Did you see him in the anime/manga? He is scary when he wants to be.
MasterBlade47: Murisaki's evils will be revealed, and it's a reveal I already have planned. Trist me when I say that he is one sick bastard, and I'm the one who made him. Since I'm excited for writing Eri, I do plan on introducing her earlier than in canon, but not a lot earlier.
FanFictionReaderIne: I'm glad you enjoy my fic, and I hope to exceed your expectations.
2 weeks later
Izuku was sitting in his hospital with several people here with him as Recovery Girl was performing a quick check up. Depending on what she says he'd be going home today. Home. To say Izuku was nervous was an understatement. This would be the third time he got a new family, and his track record left much to be desired. Happiness and safety being among them.
But he was also looking forward to it. So far Shoka has been a huge contrast to what he's experienced in the past. After the Incident on the first day, she rarely left his side. She remained vigilant every waking hour, never letting anyone bother him. Not for lack of trying mind you. He still remembers seeing her get angry at another patient who recognized him.
It was during the evening when it happened, Shoka was the only one awake at the time, since they took turns sleeping, while Present Mic out grabbing something to eat for all of them. The women barely started her tirade of calling him a villain when Shoka jumped to action. The amount of anger radiating off her scared Izuku to no end. But the fear quickly melted off when he felt something else. Safe. Protected. He had quickly recognized she wasn't angry at him, but at the women. And boy did she look ready to rip that women a now one. Shoka barely had to do anything before the women ran off with her tail between her legs. Just standing there menacingly, silently daring her to say another word, and promising a world of pain if she did. They decided to make sure the door stayed shut after that incident.
Like with everyone who visited with him, they talked a lot. She would tell him her hero stories, about her time at U.A. with Midnight and Present Mic claiming they dragged her along on their many misadventures. But he had a feeling it wasn't difficult to get her to join. They even talked about what they will do once he gets out of the hospital. She offered to homeschool him, but he didn't want to be a burden on her already busy schedule more than he already was, so he opted to continue attending public school. With him transferring schools of course.
The event that he believes will stick to him for the rest of his life happened on the fourth day
*flashback*
Izuku was lying in the hospital bed, talking with Mei and her parents, with Present Mic and Midnight sitting in the corner of the room talking with each other. Shoka has gotten a phone call just a minute ago and went into the hallway to take it. So he was glad that the Hatsume's were here. He's not really comfortable with Mic and Midnight, and would rather not be left alone with them.
It didn't take long for Shoka to come back in, room going silent as she did, everyone looking at her. She had a huge ecstatic smile on her face and tears seemed to be stinging her eyes. Izuku could only assume she got some fantastic news. 'Maybe she got someone else to put up with me, and is happy she doesn't have to anymore.' He thought sadly.
Shoka took her seat back at the side of Izuku's bed. "Izuku, I have some news." Izuku gulped, expecting her to tell him she's done with him. "I just got off the phone with Nezu, and he's informed me that the adoption has gone through."
Izuku's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He was not expecting that. Everyone else in the room had thrilled looks to them, Mei even hugged and congratulated him. But Izuku wasn't paying any attention to any of it. "Th-then that m-means..." stuttered Izuku in his stupor.
"It means I'm now officially your mom." Said Shoka happily.
"Y-you actually went th-through with it?" Asked Izuku slightly panicky. Mei released him worried about where this was going.
Shoka's didn't falter at the question. "Of course I did."
Izuku looked down dejected. "I thought y-you would ch-change your mind. Th-that you'd just put m-me back in the S-s-system when you got tired o-of p-putting up with me." He said.
Everyone's expressions fell as their hearts broke at the admission.
All except Shoka's. She refused to let it deter her, she needed to be strong for her son. She gripped his hand, gaining his attentions. "Izuku I would never. I want to help you. I want to give you a good life. I want to pick you up when you fall, and stand beside you when you succeed. I will NOT abandon you, and will ALWAYS stand beside you." She said lovingly.
Tears quickly formed in his eyes. He looked down at his lap as he gripped the blanket. "Thank you." He said through the tears. His emotions threatening to overwhelm him.
"That just leaves one question." Said Shoka, earning her a questioning look from Izuku. "Would you like to keep your current name? Or do you want to be Izuku Aizawa?" She asked.
Izuku quickly hugged Shoka and whispered "yes." To which she happily hugged him back.
*end flashback*
'Mom.' Thought Izuku. He hasn't said that word for years, it felt weird to even think. He hasn't had the privilege of having one in years. Now Shoka was officially his legal guardian, his mother. He knew a lot of strings had to have been pulled for it to happen so fast. He was honestly scared, he doesn't know how she will be once they get home. It could be Chiaki all over again, where she acted sweet until they were alone. But despite that and her hero status, he actually has hope and faith. His history with heroes has been full of nothing but fake kindness, cold shoulders, and even violence a few time. But she has been nothing but kind, and dare he say, loving.
Izuku looked towards Midnight and Present Mic leaning against the wall behind Shoka. Aside from Mr. Hatsume, they were the people he was most weary of. The day he met them he woke up to find them and his mom talking. It scared him at first seeing people he didn't know right as he woke up. Well, he knew WHO they were, but he didn't know them personally. Were they going to be just as two faced as the heroes he's dealt with in the past? Were they going to act like Chiaki, or god forbid Murisaki? His mom assured him immediately that they were trustworthy, but he wasn't sure, he didn't want to take any more chances than he had to.
He was happy to have some proof that he was wrong.
*Flashback*
Izuku shot up from his bed in the middle of the night, hands clamped over his mouth to suppress a scream. He was drenched in sweat, tears falling out of his eyes, and hyperventilating from panic, or at least as much as he could with his hands over his mouth. He had just woken up from a nightmare, or more like a memory from his childhood. Izuku was absolutely terrified, not just from the nightmare, but from fear of disturbing the others and getting into trouble.
His fear grew tenfold when he noticed Present Mic approach him.
Only, she didn't look angry. No, she looked concerned for him.
Izuku had failed to notice the concern at first as he back up as far as he could away, taking his hands off his mouth. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you!" He whisper-yelled trying not to disturb anyone else. His panic grew by the second, made even worse as he heard the heart monitor beeping rapidly. It sounded deafening to him and his ears started ringing louder and louder. Closing his eyes and covering his face, he got ready for the beating he KNEW he was going to receive.
But it never happened. His eyes shot open as he felt not a strike, but a gentle hand on his shoulder as an arm wrapped around him. "Hey it's ok, you're safe little listener. No one is going to hurt you, I promise." Came the gentle voice of Present Mic. It sounded muffled to him as the ringing and beeping blared, but he heard it clear as day. Whether in his relief or panic he couldn't tell you, but he started sobbing.
Present Mic quickly wrapped him in a hug. He was surprised, but it quickly died as his emotions got the best of him and hugged back, latching on to her, as the tears poured out of his eyes and onto her shoulder. After about 15 minutes he had finally calmed down, and everything was quiet again. He didn't know when his mom had woken up and wrapped him in a hug as well, but he won't complain. It was nice having people hold him in such a gentle and kind manner. People to care about him and console him when he's hurting.
Izuku slowly released the two heroes. "I-I'm s-sorry for d-di-disturbing y-you." He said looking down meekly, in a hoarse voice, throat feeling raw from all the crying.
Next thing he knew his face was being gently lifted by Present Mic. "Hey, you weren't disturbing anyone, we know you've been through a lot. More than anyone could possibly imagine. We are here for you whenever you need it, so don't be afraid to come to us." She said soothingly.
Izuku slightly nodded his head. "Thank you." He didn't know what came over him, but he wrapped Present Mic in another hug. This time it was her turn to be surprised. It didn't last long as she returned the hug.
Eventually they mutually broke the hug, and Present Mic encouraged him to lie back down. "Come on, it's still late, you really need your sleep. Don't worry, I'll be right here." She said, giving him a loving smile, as she got off the bed and sat in a chair right next to him, hand still on his arm to comfort him.
Izuku nodded his head. "Thank you. Good night... Aunt Mic."
Present Mic beamed at being aunt that for the first time. "Good night little listener."
Izuku turned to his mom who was watching the whole thing with a tender smile, She was just getting off the bed to return to her cot. "Good night mom."
"Good night sweetie." Replied Shoka.
It didn't take long for Izuku to fall back asleep with Mic not once taking her hand off him. Her touch was calming, gentle. He felt protection. It was one of the best nights sleep he's gotten to that point.
The next morning he woke up to hearing the three heroes talking about the whole thing. Mic had started explaining to Midnight how he suddenly started tossing and turning, and she was about to approach him when he suddenly shot up, drenched in sweat, and she was expecting him to scream or yell, only for him to cover his mouth as if on instinct. When she did approach him he looked even more terrified and acted like he thought she was going to hit him. She sounded angry when she said that she had no doubt he was punished for his nightmares. He was honestly surprised, he doesn't remember telling anyone that. For all the jokes his mom and Midnight make about her being dumb, she can be smart when she wants to be. He couldn't help but smile when she told The two how elated she was when he called her 'Aunt Mic.'
*flashback change*
Midnight was pushing Izuku down the hallway on their way to his physical therapy session. They started his third day here, and apparently he was put on a priority list. While he was thankful the hospital allowed Recovery Girl to be the therapist, he hated going to them. It just reminded him of how weak and useless he is. For years, he was able to push through the pain and fatigue and get things done. But ever since he got into the hospital he's been having a lot of difficulty even moving. He was constantly fumbling and failing to finish even the simplest of workouts. Everyone kept telling him he was doing great, be he couldn't help but feel like a failure.
The only thing making it worse this time was that besides Recovery Girl, he'd only be there with Midnight. He had no idea how she convinced his mom to take him by herself, but she did. While his mom trusted her, he didn't. He knew about her sadistic tendencies, and he had no idea why she even wanted to do this herself. His mind kept jumping to the worst case scenarios. Was she going to beat him? Torture him?
Izuku was completely on edge as they kept going, he jumped a bit when Midnight Spoke. "So we adults have been discussing something." Izuku's anxiety skyrocketed at that statement. What have they been discussing? Where they already tired of dealing with him? Were they going to leave him with Chiaki again? Or were they just going to use him as a punching bag like so many others? His mind racing as he started panicking. "We think that you might be getting frustrated with the physical therapy. What's going on?" She asked calmly.
Izuku wasn't expecting that. How did they know? He thought he was hiding it well. He's had years of practice. Maybe it's their hero instinct? Or maybe he wasn't as good as he though and everyone else just ignored his pain? Regardless he's not about to complain. He learned that lesson enough times. "No, I-I'm fine." He stuttered.
"Izuku." She said sternly, with a great deal of care. Izuku flinched at hearing her.
"I s-swear. I'm f-fine."
All of a sudden they stop. Midnight walked in front of him, and he slams his eyes shut, and prepared for what ever she might do to him. When nothing happened he slowly opened his eyes and saw Midnight kneeling in front of him, concern written all over her face. "Hey you're not in any trouble. We just want to help you. What's going on?"
Izuku studied her for a little while, trying to figure out if she was lying to him. And she stayed there quietly as he did, letting him open up at his own pace. Eventually his gut told him maybe he was allowed to speak up. He looked down dejected. "I'm just tired of feeling weak and failing all the time. I used to be able to keep going no matter how difficult, but now I can't even finish 6 reps with a 5 pound (2.27 kg) dumbbell." He said as tears started falling out of his eyes in frustration.
Izuku felt something on his hands, and looked to find it was Midnight grabbing them, rubbing her thumbs on the back of his hands soothingly. "Hey, you aren't weak and you aren't failing. You have been through so much, and survived more than any hero I've ever met or even heard of. You are strong. The only reason you are having so much difficulty now is because you aren't fighting for your very life anymore. Your body allowed you to push through so much that it couldn't handle just to survive. I don't know if anyone could go through all that you have and make it to the other side. I know I couldn't." She said trying to encourage him.
"But if I was truly strong I would have been able to stop or escape Chiaki and Murisaki." He weakly argued.
"Tell me, do you think I'm strong?" Asked Midnight.
Izuku looked at her confused. "Of course. You're one of the strongest heroes there is. Even without your quirk, you take down villains like they're nothing."
Midnight chuckled. "Why thank you, you sweet talker." She said with a smile, and Izuku blushed, and before he could apologize, Midnight continued. "But you know, I was actually abused as a little girl." Izuku's eyes shot open wide. "It's true. You see, there were some complications during my birth, and my mother lost the ability to have more children. Problem was, she wanted to be a breeder. Not because she loved children mind you, she just thought it would be an easy life. Just pop out a few kids and the government pays you. So when she lost the ability, she blamed me. She became an alcoholic, or maybe she always was, I don't know. Anyways she would beat me, telling me I 'ruined her chance at an easy life', and made my life hell." She pilled the shoulder of her costume down, careful not to activate her quirk, showing a scar. "My mom did this when I was 6. She stabbed me with a pair of scissors." She said, resisting breaking down from the memory, but stayed strong for Izuku.
"So how did you stop her?" He asked intrigued and worried.
"Well, when I was 9 my father found out about what my mom was doing to me. He worked long hard hours to support us and my mom always made sure he never knew. And made sure I didn't tell. But he walked in on it one day, coming home from work early. So combined with that and stress from all the other things she was doing, he divorced her. And with the proof of the abuse, my dad got full custody of me. So I didn't stop her. I was saved. Even the toughest people need saved sometimes. It's not a sign of weakness, but surviving is a sign of strength." She said Kindly as she finished her story, giving him a caring smile.
Izuku though through her story, and again, and again. 'Surviving is a sign of strength.' He thought. Eventually he gave her a smile and determined look with a nod.
Something she was happy to see. "I know what I went through isn't near as bad as what you did. But we are all here for you every step of the way, and if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you anytime." She said as she stood up and moved to start pushing his wheelchair again.
"Who had it worse is irrelevant. It doesn't change the pain you went through. So if you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you as well Aunt Midnight." He said.
Midnight stopped for a moment as she processed what she just heard. Not just his offer, but what he called her. She smiled happily as tears formed in her eyes. She quickly wrapped him in a hug from behind, ignoring his flinching. "Thank you." She whispered.
That session was the first of many that he was able to push through all of it. All with the help of Midnight cheering him forward.
*end flashbacks*
Izuku deeply appreciated what they did for him. And despite still having difficult trusting them, they made it easier with every interaction. Whenever he watched them and his mom interact he could only describe it as how sisters act with each other. A dynamic he was worried he'd interrupt and never be a part of, but they treated him like family. Not the kind he's used to having, but loving and kind one.
He looked towards Recovery Girl. She was the one currently conducting his examination, and from what he's been told, will perform his future checkups. From what he's been told the reason he's been in the hospital so long is because he needed to be monitored thanks to not only his heart stopping, but because of his weight. If complications were to arise, the hospital was the safest place for him. He's told he's out of the worst of it, but needed to continue being monitored and have regular check-ups until he's healthy again. He will even need to wear a portable heart monitor until said time.
Izuku was thankful that Recovery Girl was going to be the one to do all it. She had been really nice to him during his stay. He's heard his classmates talk about their grandmothers before, and he feels that's how she's acting. She was always making sure he ate properly, helping pick him up during physical therapy and kissing the injuries that he gets. She has also gotten him treats a few times. Not just those gummy bears she carries around either. He tasted chocolate for the first time in years thanks to her, something he forgot tasted so good.
She also loved to tell him stories about his moms and Aunts days at U.A. much to their chagrin. Seems they were a bit of the troublemakers, like when Present Mic thought it would be funny to reveal Shoka's crush by screaming it from the top of the school roof. Using her quirk. With a megaphone. Half the student body lost their hearing for two days, the other half had a constant ringing for a day. They also always came in with the strangest injuries. Like when his mom came in, covered in ant bites. Apparently she was swinging from trees using her scarf, one of the branches broke, and she landed on an anthill. Aunt Mic and Midnight swear that most of the time she was a grumpy logical stiff, but when she cut loose it was a blast.
Tsukauchi was sitting in the window seal. She honestly took more getting used to than Present Mic and Midnight because of his history with her. He didn't lie to her when he told her he WANTED to blame her. He wanted to blame someone for making him believe his life would be better, for making him feel like he would be safe, for making him believe someone cared for him. But he couldn't, something inside him refused to allow him to blame her. Probably because of the kindness he was shown last time.
She had stopped by frequently, and at first he thought that she was just here to ask him more questions for the case. But she told him while she might have to eventually, that she was here for a personal visit, and to make sure he was being treated properly. He even eventually remembered why he wanted to blame her. When Chiaki showed her true feeling towards Izuku, in a brief spark of bravery he told her that he's going to talk to Tsukauchi again and get out of there. He wasn't even wanting to get her into trouble, he just wanted to be safe. Only there was a problem. She laughed. She told him That Tsukauchi didn't care about him, that when she took his case, it was merely for the prestige that would come from framing such an important and kind man. He refused to believe her, but when he got out of the house and talked to the first police officer he could find, she told him the same thing. He didn't even tell her what Chiaki told him. So he became heartbroken, felt that no one did care for him, that he was stuck this time. But this time Tsukauchi promised him she wouldn't fail in making sure he's safe from now on.
As she visited, she actually brought him things to help him entertain himself. She brought in magazines, books, movies, and despite his protest, even bought him a phone AND handheld gaming system with several games. He tried hard to turn them down, that he didn't want her to waste money on him, let alone so much. But she quickly shot that down, and wouldn't budge, telling him she wanted to help him find things to enjoy in his free time. That while she knew he loved heroes, she wanted him to expand his horizons. It took a couple of days for her to get him to stop trying to convince her to return the stuff and get her money back.
He had to admit, while he did enjoy all of it, he really enjoyed the games. He wasn't huge on the racing game, but he enjoyed the RPG, fighting, and tactic games. The phone was also nice to allow him to read up on current hero news, this was the first smartphone he's ever had. Even though he tried to refuse to use them while people were visiting, they encouraged him to play his games or read. Everyone wanted him to find his interests as well, though they were impressed when he showed his ability to multitask. He could read or play games while still keeping up with conversations. They didn't want to think about how he became so good at it. But it was in these moments that they saw how starved for healthy interactions and relationships he was.
Tsukauchi had shown how much she truly cared for Izuku. She pointed things out in magazines that she believed he might like, joked around with him, and even took turns playing the games with him. Something that took a lot of convincing on his part to get almost everyone who visited to do, they just didn't want to ruin HIS fun, but he told them playing with others is more fun than playing by yourself. He found it funny, while she was older than his mom and aunts, she felt more like how a big sister would act to him.
Sitting next to Tsukauchi was Nezu, he visited him least out of everyone, having visited him three times. He couldn't blame him though, he was a very busy man being the principle of the greatest hero university in japan after all. Izuku was more surprised he visited at all. But Nezu told him he has been wanting to talk with him.
Nezu told him all about how when he and his mom move into the U.A. family dorms, that despite his absolute trust in Eraserhead, there will be random inspections to make sure he is safe. Something that did give him a small amount of comfort. He did ask about the family dorms because he didn't know U.A. had those. Nezu happily explained that, just like the school dorms, they were build to ensure the safety of U.A. staff's families, while also providing a place that allowed them to have company over. People still needed clearance to visit, but it was a little easier to get than it took to get on campus. You can't be to cautious as a hero, but he still believes that shouldn't stop them from finding happiness and love. Words that Izuku took to heart.
Nezu Asked Izuku what kind of hero he wanted to be. Nezu would swear to his dying breath Izuku's answer was the most heartfelt and determined answer he's ever heard. Something everyone else agreed with.
"I want to be a hero that protects everybody. A hero that whenever I'm around everyone KNOWS they'll be safe. A hero that will investigate any claim anyone makes that someone's in danger. I know that policy will lead to tons of prank calls, and villains using it to set ambushes, but I NEVER want leave someone in danger." Replied Izuku.
Nezu had felt the emotion of that answer down to his very core, and when he looked at the frail child in front of him, what he saw a future number one hero. And he wanted to help him get there. So the conversation that ensued was the most surprising to Izuku out of all of it. Nezu promised U.A. help. Not just for his recovery, but to help him train for his admission into U.A. which included complete access to their training facilities, and help from any staff that wished to help, which he was among them. Izuku was stunned by the vote of confidence. He never said his chance at getting into U.A. He said for when he GOT into U.A. Nezu didn't doubt that Izuku would get in. A sentiment that everyone shared and voiced.
The last of the people that would visit him were the Hatsume's. Mr. and Mrs Hatsume had visited him about every other day, which just like Nezu, he was surprised they visited again after the first day. But they had assured him that they were there for him, that they would support him. It was strange, they almost acted like a second set of parents to him. Mrs. Hatsume would bring him home cooked meals every time they visited, she always asked him for requests, to which he always first answers that she didn't have to waste her time and money on him. And just like Tsukauchi, she would turn him down instantly. Even started flicking him on the forehead when he said this. Something she did on instinct because she did it with Mei and apologized immediately, and everyone at first was worried it would trigger him, but it didn't. Izuku felt no malice when she did, in fact he felt it came from a place of caring and affection, so he told her it was fine. That he understood why she did it. It didn't stop him from trying to turn down when she asked what he wanted next time she visited. The last time she actually flicked him before he even got a couple of words out. He had to admit, he loved her cooking, she was damn good at it. He'd have to say that katsudon was his favorite, something he believes was his favorite growing up before Chiaki.
Mrs. Hatsume had shown a great deal of motherly affection towards him. From lightly teasing him like she did her own daughter. Even pointing out that they were blushing a couple of times. She wasn't afraid of being physically affectionate as well, which including her hugging him often. Only person who did it more was Mei. He once overheard his mom asking for advice on being a good mother from her.
Now Izuku didn't have any good references, but he couldn't help but think that Mr. Hatsume acted fatherly towards him. He had offered to help him workout once he was medically cleared to do some of the more intense training, since he didn't know anything about physical therapy. He even told Izuku and Shoka that he'd be willing to teach Izuku how to drive, which was something they accepted since he had more experience than her. Only after Izuku tried to tell him he shouldn't waste his time after all. He earned a flick on the forehead from Mrs. Hatsume for that.
It was surprising to the adults, who were all informed of Izuku's fear, how fast Izuku warmed up to Mr. Hatsume. He was as weary of Mr. Hatsume as he was of, well, everyone. But Izuku kept remembering the words Mr. Hatsume spoke to the doctor from the first day. He knew who Izuku was, he knew about Izuku's past, but he didn't call him a villain, in fact he called him a hero. More than that, Izuku remembered looking up at Mr. Hatsume that day and not seeing potential danger, not seeing someone who wanted to cause him nothing but pain, but a protector, a guardian. Something Izuku never thought he'd have, let alone from a man. Which was funny because it was a huge contrast from how he normally is. Mrs. Hatsume called him her 'giant teddy bear' or 'gentle giant'. But it was obvious. NEVER piss him off. He WILL fight for what he believes in, and to protect who he cares for. A list that Mr. Hatsume told him he was on. Izuku was even told a story about how Mr. Hatsume once threw a man against a building 20 yards (18.29 meters) away after he grabbed his wife's ass. A feat that impressed even the heroes.
Mei. There was so much he could say about Mei. After the overnight observation was over, she was officially released from the hospital. She spent as much time with him as possible with him, even trying to stay past visiting hours. She especially wasn't happy when her ability to visit was cut thanks to having to go back to school. It surprised Mr. and Mrs. Hatsume since she'd spend a vast majority of her free time inventing or drawing blueprints, but they were happy to see her make a friend. Mei visited him every day for as long as she could, and eventually she did stop trying to stay past visiting hours after she realized she had babies she needed to make, especially for Izuku. Didn't mean she was happy to leave though. It surprised even her how much time she was trying to spend with Izuku. It's not that she lost her passion for inventing, on the contrary, it was stronger than ever now that she had Izuku to build for, but she was drawn to him. When her mom teased her about spending more time with him than inventing, Izuku tried blame his quirk, saying that maybe it was effecting her. To which they pointed out that this was the first time it would have done that. They eventually came up with the idea of his mom using her quirk on him, while they were in the bathroom so Izuku could hide how he truly looked mind you, which that did confuse Mei, but she was told to let him tell her on his own time by her parents. The solemn looks on their faces did worry Mei to no end, but she agreed. Mei told him she felt no different during that time, so he finally acknowledged it wasn't his quirk effecting her.
Mei was very handsy. She easily touched him as much as everyone else combined, and had no awareness of WHAT was touching him. She had touched over most of his body one time, saying she could get accurate measurements that way. Her parents vouching it was a special talent of hers. But while touching his upper body her breasts were constantly touching him. Something he couldn't ignore. It caused him to pop a boner that he tried desperately to hide while blushing redder than a tomato. Which was odd to him, this was the first time someone had actually caused this in such a manner, morning wood didn't count. It wasn't until she reached his legs that her hand brushed against it. She didn't know what it was at first, so she poked it a couple of times. She blushed just as much as Izuku when she realized what she was touching. Mei couldn't jump away fast enough. They both noticed Mrs. Hatsume, and his aunts looking at them with amused smirks, making their blushes intensify.
There were a couple of things that Izuku tried desperately to figure out. First was the feelings Izuku felt with Mei. He truly enjoyed spending time with everyone here, but with Mei it was different. It had a different kind of warmth to it, she made him feel things that no one else here did. He enjoyed the contact he made with her differently, he enjoyed seeing her slightly manic smile differently, he's considered plenty of other people beautiful before, but her beauty was different. He caught himself staring at her more than once. But he was never told that Mei noticed a few times, and the look of awe on his face when she did make her feel ecstatic and special. And for the first time in her life, beautiful. The second that confused him was the secondary feeling he had whenever Mei touched him. He noticed it only happened when their skin made contact, it provided a kind of tingling, a rush, whenever it happened, and the number in his head would ALWAYS go up when they did. It only happens with her. So far it's up to 163. He kept trying to remember where he felt it before, but never could, and he was way too embarrassed to ask anyone else what any of these feeling were.
Izuku was taken out of his reminiscing at the sound of Recovery Girls voice. "Well you seem to be healthy enough to be discharged and taken home." She said happily. Smiles beamed all around.
"Finally! You ready to see your new home little listener?" Asked Present Mic.
Izuku scratched the back of his head. "Honestly I'm just as nervous as I am excited."
"That's understandable, after everything that's happened. But we will make sure that you will be safe and happy." Replied Tsukauchi.
Izuku would only smile in appreciation to his statement.
Shoka grabbed the bag at her feet and handed it to Izuku. "Here, some clothes for you to change into. Do you need any help to change?"
Izuku looked inside the bag in surprise. They were brand-new cloths, he was expecting a set of his old clothes. No matter how much kindness he's shown, he doesn't ever expect it, and at times doesn't feel he deserves it. After getting out of his stupor, he shook his head. "No thank you. I've got it." He grabbed the cane that was beside his bed. It was given to him by Recovery Girl to help him walk, but he still needed a wheelchair for lengthier trips.
After entering the bathroom, Shoka walked up to Recovery Girl. "What paperwork do I need to fill out?"
Recovery Girl pointed to a clipboard with several pages on the nightstand next to the bed. "Just need your signature on those, Nezu already took care of the rest. Let's get him home as soon as possible."
Shoka nodded, and for the first time eagerly got the paperwork taken care of. Her hand couldn't move fast enough.
Mei walked up to her after she finished. "Would it be ok if I visited sometime?" She asked both eager and shy.
Shoka smiled at her. "Of course, you and your parents are more than welcome anytime. In fact, would you three like to come with us and join for dinner?" That made Mei smile ear to ear as she turned around to her parents, giving them the puppy dog eyes, silently asking them if they could.
"Are you sure it won't be too much bother? Shouldn't you let him get settled first?" Asked Mr. Hatsume, doing everything in his power to ignore the puppy dog eyes his daughter was shooting him. They were truly a powerful weapon.
"Well we did want to throw Izuku a welcome party, but decided against it since it would be to many people he doesn't know and didn't want to overwhelm him. But maybe a small one with people he already knows will help him feel more welcome." Replied Shoka with a smile.
"Well then I guess it'd be ok." Started Mrs. Hatsume, causing Mei to smile excited. "But, we need to find out if Izuku is ok with it." She said. That didn't deter her though. While she was a little afraid he wouldn't want them to, but she didn't let that bring her down.
"Ok with what?" Asked Izuku as he came out of them bathroom prompting everyone to look at him. They all smiled at him with Mei having a slight blush. He wasn't wearing anything fancy, just a red Shirt, with an open black hoodie over it, a pair of blue jeans and red high tops. Mei immediately started questioning how bad her crush on him was.
"Are you ok with them visiting today?" Asked Shoka.
Izuku was stunned. A part of him was sure that with him out of the hospital they would stop seeing him. A part he was glad was completely wrong. "Yeah, I'd be happy have you visit." He said with a smile while scratching the back of his head. Mei lightly squealed and slammed into him with a hug, nearly knocking them to the ground, which he return after a couple seconds. The number read 171 when they separated. "Is everyone else here going to visit as well?" He asked nervously.
Everyone smiled at how well he is opening up. "Are you ok with that?" Asked Shoka. Izuku nodded his head. With that everyone responded that they come by when they can.
Shoka walked up next to Izuku with his wheelchair. "Come on, let's get you home."
Izuku sat down in the chair as only one thought crossed his mind with a smile. 'Home.'
Everyone filed out of the room leaving only Tsukauchi and Nezu lagging behind, both looking towards the door as they all left.
"So is everything ready?" Asked Nezu.
"Yes, I made sure everything was ready before I came here. Let get those sons of bitches." Said Tsukauchi as she pulled out her phone to make a call. In all honesty, the investigation had been done for a little over a week now. It helped that no one seemed to think they did anything wrong. On the contrary, they all believed they did the right thing, so getting all the evidence of wrongdoing was simple. But She, Nezu, and Shoka all discussed holding off on the official arrests until after Izuku got out of the hospital. That way they can guarantee his safety and no one attempting to retaliate. Her phone rang only once when her police chief answered. "Now." Was all she said. After getting confirmation she hung up, both of them following right after.
At the apartment.
Izuku was being pushed by His mom through the courtyard of the apartments. Midnight, Present Mic, and the Hatsume's following them but with Mei walking next to him, they both looked up in awe as they saw not just their nearby dream schools campus, but the apartments and dorms themselves. They looked more like mansions. He remembered how big the first apartment he lived in looked when he was 4. These looked just as big as he saw them back then.
He was nervous, this was his first time in another new home. But as he looked at his new family he had hope for a better life. He's said it once, he'll say it a million times. Hope feels good.
"Are you ready?" Asked Shoka as they stood in front of their new apartment.
He looked up at the larger door. Probably designed for those with quirks that made them large. It was intimidating to look at. But nonetheless, he had to do this. He took a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Present Mic unlocked the door and opened it for them, and stood aside to allow them to be the first ones through. Izuku was in awe as he saw the apartment for the first time, not only from the sheer size of the living room they had just entered, but from the fact it was already fully furnished. Here in the living room they had 2 couches and 2 recliners, with a couple coffee tables in front of them. All facing a wall that had a 60in. TV that looked like it had several game stations. He wasn't familiar with them, but he did recognize what they were.
"Would you like to take a tour?" Asked Shoka, breaking him out of his stupor.
"S-sure." He said. He started to stand up with the help of his cane, and Shoka rushing to help as well.
"Are you sure you want to walk? It's no problem to push you." She asked concerned, holding onto his arm to help keep him balanced.
"Yes. You're already doing so much for me. And I need to be able to walk on my own, I don't want to be any more of a nuisance." He replied.
"Izuku you are not a nuisance. Don't ever believe you are." Said Shoka in caring stern tone.
Izuku merely smiled at her with a hint of sadness. She can say that, but he still feels that way. To him he completely uprooted her life, just so she can take care of him.
Shoka knew he didn't believe her. But she will remind him every time he says it until he does. "Just make sure to tell me if you need to relax, you're still healing. In the meantime use me as a crutch if you need."
"Me too." Came the voice of Mei who walked up to his other side.
Smiling to them both. "Thank you." He said in a quiet voice.
Shoka had started guiding him around the 3-bedroom apartment. The kitchen connected to the living room with a door and a serving hatch. The kitchen was quite large, it had a huge fridge, a chest freezer, a dishwasher, and two ovens. It looked like it was designed to be able to prepare a feast. Down the hallway was five doors in total, two on each side, one at the end. On the left was first the guest room, then Shoka's room. On the right was the bath and laundry area, it was easily the largest bath he had ever seen. 4 people could wash up in here without any hassle. The door at the end was the bathroom (A/N from my understanding, a lot of Japanese places have the bathroom and wash room separate. I could be wrong though so just go with it.)
Right across from Shoka's room was Izuku's room. Walking in had the same effect on him as when he walked into the living room, and for the same reasons. There was a King size bed in one of the corners of the room, a large dresser with a 45in TV on it, a desk with a stack of notebooks and a computer on it, and it didn't look cheap either, several shelves and a door to what he assumed to be the closet.
"Are... are you sure this is MY room? I-I mean it's huge, and it has your TV and computer in here." He said in utter disbelief.
"No, this is YOUR room. That's YOUR TV, and YOUR computer. There's even some clothes for you in the dresser. They are pretty basic, but once you feel up to it, we'll go shopping to pick up clothes and decorations more to your liking." Shoka responded casually with a smile.
"B-b-But this it too much. None of this could have been cheap. You've already done so much for me. You..." He said panicking.
He was shut down when his mom cupped his face with her hands. "Izuku it's ok. I want to do all of this. In fact, I didn't even pay for it all. When the staff found out you were coming to live here, they all pitched in to help. We all want to help you. To give you the life you deserve. The life that was wrongfully taken from you. Ok?" She said in a supportive tone.
"But..." He tried starting again.
"Nope. None of that. I said we WANT to... I want to. Ok?" She said in a stern loving tone.
Tears started forming in his eyes as he nodded his head. Shoka quickly wrapped him in a hug that he returned. "Thank you." He said quietly. Mei smiled at the sight from the hallway.
The rest of the day wasn't too eventful. They didn't have a big party, instead it was just a good amount of people visiting. Everyone chatted with each other, and some even breaking in the gaming consoles, with Izuku finding out Mrs. Hatsume was queen at fighting games, with her daughter not far behind her. Turns out they play to clear their minds when they're in a slump.
Izuku had even been shown that they had bought a few board and card games for him to try. It confused him and Mei when Present Mic suggested a game called 'Cards Against Humanity' and his mom and her dad both Yelled "NO!" Instantly, making everyone laugh. They just looked at each other and shrugged. He didn't know how to play any of the games, even though most of them were common games like UNO, and checkers. He asked Nezu to teach him chess, which he happily agreed to. Izuku made it clear that he didn't want Nezu to go easy on him, that he'd rather learn as much as possible, even if it meant losing. But that didn't mean we would just let him win either. A philosophy that Nezu was impressed and proud of. What no one expected was how much a strategic mind Izuku had.
After Nezu taught him the rules and a few basic strategies, they played. The first two rounds were done quickly, with Nezu wiping the floor with Izuku. The following rounds were a different story. Izuku had learned from every move Nezu made, and acted accordingly. The third round Izuku held his own well. Nezu still won by a good margin, but not as big as the first two. The fourth round was even closer. The fifth and final round though, Izuku had used strategies that Nezu didn't even show him, Izuku had him on the ropes a little. Nezu still being the genius he is still won the match, but it wasn't an easy victory. Nezu was astounded by Izuku. Something the other pro's picked up on. So after that match, Mei convinced him to play another fighting game with her. All four heroes took the opportunity to talk to Nezu.
"You seem impressed. Was he that good of a player?" Asked Shoka.
"It's far more than that." Replied Nezu. They all looked at him confused. He took their silence as a sign to continue. "In your report eraser, you mentioned how he held his own against two assailants using offensive quirks without even throwing a single punch. Only for the third to surprise attack him, and that combined with his own condition took him down."
This was the first time the others had heard this much of the story and were rightfully shocked. "Wait really? I thought he tried to save Mei but his condition caught up with him quickly?" Responded Present Mic.
"That's actually accurate Mic. It wasn't a long fight, but it was an impressive sight indeed. There he was a kid dancing the lines of life and death facing three punks who obviously were no slouches, and he didn't even back down after the two showed off their quirks. He ended that fight only getting hit the once. But he got the two attacking him to hurt each other. But what does that have to do with the chess game?" Asked Shoka, leaving the others impressed beyond words.
"Everything. The odds were stacked heavily in his opponents favor. Yet he stood his ground. Showing courage that even most heroes don't possess. But he quickly turned it all around, using nothing but his mind. In that last match I actually came close to losing." He stayed seriously, all the others again were left speechless. "He employed strategies I didn't show him, meaning he came up with them himself. In fact, I've been watching him all night, look at him and miss Hatsume's game."
The three looked towards the TV, watching as it looked like Izuku was getting thoroughly beat, but getting a few hits in. "What about it? Mei had been beating him the whole time."
"If you look closely, he gets better each and every time. For a game he's never played, he's doing exceedingly well against someone who's got a lot more experience. He adapts, he learns. Even though he losses, he always does better the next time, all with just the power of his mind and will. He doesn't even get frustrated when he loses. He takes it as a chance to learn. A mindset that's rare in anyone, let alone youth. Give him the time, recourses, and experience, I have no doubt in my mind he will become a hero that will surpass All Might herself." He said without a shred of doubt, as he continued to watch Izuku.
The other eyes shot open as they looked towards Izuku again. They all know that Nezu is a hard one to impress, and after such a short time he holds such a belief. They watched as he smiled shyly as he played with Mei who was laughing hysterically. 'A hero who surpasses All Might.' They all thought.
A smile crept on Shoka on face. "Maybe so. But for now he's a kid, and I'm going to let him act as such." She said before walking over to sit on the couch with Mr. and Mrs. Hatsume who were watching Izuku and Mei enjoy themselves while they cuddled, and Tsukauchi sitting in one of the recliners. One by one smiles appeared on the rest of their faces as they watched him. Present Mic and Midnight went to join Shoka, and Recovery Girl took the empty seat at the table with Nezu.
"So do you plan on recommending him to All Might?" Asked Recovery Girl.
"I'm not sure yet. I know that Togata would do great things with one for all, but Izuku might pull miracles with it. He shows to have the heart and mind of a true hero. But it's probably best to see if he has the dedication first." Replied Nezu.
"I have a feeling he'll surpass expectations on that as well." Said Recovery Girl with a chuckle.
Nezu chuckled along. "I was thinking the same thing."
It was a simple gathering of friends and family enjoying each other's company and having dinner together, something Izuku attempted to start doing himself but was quickly shut down by everyone. They told him to relax and enjoy himself. It was even during dinner that Izuku and Mei were told that they would be going to the same school, though Izuku won't start until he's able to at least wheel himself around. It hadn't been planned, but It was better to transfer school, and Mei's school just so happened to be the most logical choice as Shoka put it. Didn't stop the two of them from being happy about it. They both looked forward to having a friend at school.
It was such a simple thing, something people from an outside perspective wasn't anything special. To Izuku it meant everything, such a simple little pleasure that people take for granted every day, that he was denied growing up. He considered it one of the best days of his life, one he doubted he'd ever forget.
Over time everyone trickled out, needing to get home to rest, or finishing things that they need to do tonight. Eventually it was just Shoka and Izuku watching a hero movie in the living room together when Shoka noticed Izuku looking ready to pass out any second. "Come on, let's get you to bed." She said as she paused the movie.
Izuku nodded absentmindedly and tried to stand up, only to not have the energy.
"Let me help you." Offered Shoka. She carefully picked him up to put him in his chair, and hid her frown as she felt how light he truly was. Anger flashing in her mind as she thought about how he's been treated up til now.
Shoka gently laid Izuku down in his new bed, and tucked him in. "Did you have fun today?" She asked.
"Yes. Today was amazing. Thank you mom." He said half asleep as he gave Shoka a hug. One she happily returned. "Love you mom." He said quietly, shocking Shoka.
Her Shock quickly turned into happiness and a tear slid down her face. "Love you too son." She replied. She broke the hug and gave him a kiss on the forehead, before walking to turn off the light. "Goodnight." She said as she turned off the light, only to quietly chuckle when she heard Izuku give a light snore. She was happy for the good start, and prayed for this to be a sign of things to come. Unfortunately she was ill prepared for the coming storm.
A/N So I know that I said in the last chapter, he won't be in the hospital for long, but so much came to mind that I wanted to put in. So sorry, not sorry. To be honest, my chapters are only like 10%-20% planned, while the rest is shit I come up with on the fly.