There is something about watching someone you love do the mundane, to go about the everyday and ordinary task with. Something soft, and so very genuine about getting to see them be themselves in the moment while doing something so simple like fighting with the near ancient coffee pot first thing in the morning, every morning without fail.

Perhaps they should buy a new coffee pot. "Bit of trouble there darling?"

"Nao, I swear to Nedzu if this piece of junk doesn't make coffee soon." Tsukauchi snorts, he joins his husband at the counter and reaches out and very gently taps the machine to jumpstart it into submission. They really need a new coffee pot.

His husband grumbles next to him and he snickers before pressing a gentle kiss into Aizawa's cheek.

"Good morning Shou." "Morning, how'd you sleep?"

"Terrible someone kept stealing the covers. How about you?"

"Hmm.. sounds awful. I slept okay but someone kept trying to siphon my body heat by putting their cold feet on me." Tsukauchi snickers, the only thing he could retort with was his feet wouldn't be cold if Aizawa would stop stealing the covers, instead he just places another swift kiss upon a stubbled cheek.

He then pulls down their mugs before heading over to the fridge to grab the creamer Aizawa will want for his first cup of coffee. Tsukauchi stops to pop a bagel in the toaster as the coffee starts to drip. Aizawa turns to reach out for the creamer and he hands it over easily.

"Thanks."

"No problem, pour some in my mug too?" "Sure. Can you grab me a nutrient pouch?"

"I mean I can, but shouldn't you eat something more substantive?" Tsukauchi teases knowing good and well that Aizawa's nutrient pouches have more sustenance than his bagel. His husband in return pins him with an unimpressed stare.

"You gonna eat more than that bagel?"

"I'm also having coffee." Despite how much they drink it really wasn't a meal, but he's barely hungry first thing in the morning and this will hold him over until he actually wants to eat something. Which Aizawa knows and won't call him out for it. Tsukauchi ambles over to their small pantry cabinet.

Looks like they needed to make a trip to the store.

"Last one Shou." He tossed the nutrient pouch to his husband, who catches it easily despite the tired look lingering in his eyes.

"Awful."

"We're both off today, we can go to the store later."

"I guess that's fine, we need a few other things as well."

...

It's a normal outing until it isn't. Aizawa had only walked away from his husband for a few minutes to grab something from another aisle. When he returns, what he sees warrants two very distinct feelings. Someone was trying to pickpocket his husband- and they look young.

"That's a bad idea kid." Aizawa says before he turns to fully look at whoever just tried to steal his husband's wallet. He finds a kid, and somehow that only makes it worse. Because the kid looks like a wreck, sunken distrustful eyes of dark forests- and hair that could possibly be wild curls but looks far too feral to be anything but matted. Their clothes are clean, if a bit patched and oversized.

His first thought was homeless... but the longer he looks the more now he's leaning towards a bad home life. Aizawa knows if he's thinking these things now then so will his far too observant husband. Once that happens, well this is going to be a longer trip to the store than either of them were counting on. He can already tell.

Tsukauchi turns around, he glances at a too small kid , sighs before holding his hand out for the wallet. The kid lets it fall into his hand and only then does Aizawa let go of the kid's wrist. The boy backs away, probably to run. He's seen that look before. He holds up his other hand as if to tell him to wait, and surprisingly the kid does despite how much he looks like he wants to bolt.

"Food or clothes?" His question startles the kid, who looks down and kicks his feet, hunching down on himself. Tsukauchi's guess is food.

"I'm sorry." And that's obvious enough, Tsukauchi gets the feeling that if the kid had another choice then this wouldn't even be a problem right now. Which brings him back to.

"I know, which is it- food or clothes?" The kid shifts, digging his hands into the hem of his hoodie getting ready to either cry or run. It's far too natural to be an act. Tsukauchi glances around to make sure they are out of the way of other shoppers and luckily the store is relatively empty during the mid morning. His husband does wave off an attendant who seems to want to do something.

They have this handled, no use to make a literal child feel worse about something they were already in trouble for.

"...food.. I'm sorry.."

Tsukauchi hums, he thought so. He also hates being right. In lue of that, he opens his wallet and pulls out a few yen- enough that he knows will buy the kid food until he has access to it again. He holds out the money without a second thought- ignoring his husband who looks away with a slightly irritated and fond look on his face. The kid blinks, obvious confusion and distrust.

"I don't want you to be hungry. Take the money kid, you were going to anyway."

"I didn't want to..." even without his quirk ringing in his ear the absolute truth of that statement, Tsukauchi would have believed the kid anyway. He crouches down to be at the same level of the hungry kid and holds out the yen.

"Yeah, I know. I believe you. Had my husband not caught you, you probably would have just taken enough for a granola bar and a bottle of water and returned my wallet as soon as you could. I've seen the look on your face before. So take the money, buy yourself more than a granola bar, and kid in the future if you can't get food at home report it to the police." If there was negligence from the guardians in the kid's life then it was worth reporting and being looked into. Kids shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal would come from, and they shouldn't have to resort to stealing to feed themselves.

"How...nevermind.. The police wouldn't care." The kid scoffs, shoving his hands in his pocket, refusing to look at the money in Tsukauchi's hand. He's not bothered -He remembers long ago... being in a similar position, remembers what it felt like to be hungry to be certain adults were out to get him. It's not ideal, but he knows, he understands the kid's distrustful look all too well- , and if the kid won't take the yen he won't force him too. However... The kid's far too assured statement about the police not caring, it strikes a cord.

Because Tsukauchi very much cared.

"Why do you think that kid?" It's Aizawa who asks the next question. Tsukauchi is still a bit taken back by the absolute certainty in the boy's tone.

"No one cares about the quirkless.. I'm sorry, for trying to steal your wallet." The kid turns to run, Tsukauchi sighs. This time he reaches out gently, grabbing the kid by his shoulder to stop him before he can run. At least until Tsukauchi can make sure the kid has some food.

"Quirks don't get to dictate who gets to eat and I very much care about what happens to you kid. I'm Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa, I work at precinct three." The kid pales.

"Oh.. are you going to arrest me?" Aizawa snorts, and he shakes his head no.

"Nah-I'd like to buy you breakfast or lunch instead, and if you're willing- ask you some questions about why you haven't eaten to need to resort to stealing in the first place." He'll make it up to his husband later, but right now there is a child who needs their help. What kind of detective and hero would they be if they let a kid go hungry?

"I tried to steal your money." Tsukauchi nods, biting back a smile, at least the kid seems to know. At least he understands. Instead he points over his shoulder to his husband who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else -except Tsukauchi knows that Aizawa is just as interested and invested as he is because his husband hadn't once tried to end the conversation or do anything to stop Tsukauchi from pursuing answers.

"You would have succeeded if it weren't for grumpy here." Aizawa pins him with a look that he ignores.

"He would have succeeded if he'd been thinking clearly- but hunger fog is getting to you isn't it kid?"

"Y-yeh... I uh... I'm Izuku. Y-you don't have to keep calling me kid." Tsukauchi and Aizawa both nod, he stomps down reacting in surprise from actually getting a name from the kid. He hadn't expected the kid to give it up easily, especially not after telling the child he is a detective.

Tsukauchi hopes it means the kid actually wants them to help him. Because he really does want to help Izuku.

...

Izuku is used to being hungry, how could he not when every home he's ever lived in has never wanted to properly feed the problematic quirkless kid. He wasn't a problem child, but people around him were convinced because of his quirklessness that he was going to amount to nothing. No one wanted to give him the chance to prove society wrong, to prove them all wrong.

So he's used to being hungry. He's been hungry for a while- it's not a new sensation the way his stomach churns and burns from lack of nutrition. Most of the time he'd just ignore the sensation, pretend it didn't so much as bother him. But he wasn't able to eat lunch at school before the weekend started and his current foster guardians put a lock on the fridge for the weekend while they'd be out of town.

He can't ignore the hunger this time, school won't be until another day- and he has to eat before then. Even if it's just a granola bar and some water. The pain in his stomach isn't going to let him just push through it. The only issue is he doesn't have any money to buy those things.

Which meant he was going to have to do something he wasn't proud of.

Izuku considers himself to be a decent pickpocket despite how much he hates it. Stealing was awful, and he only ever resorted to it when he absolutely had no other choice. He only took what he needed, and he always returned the wallet. Usually with a well timed 'Excuse me, I think you dropped this' and then went about his day desperately trying to knock the guilt from his chest. It certainly wasn't a skill he was proud to have.

Usually when Izuku has to do this he takes his time to pick out the person he's going to pick-pocket. He never wants to take from someone who needs the money, someone like him. Izuku already felt like a shitty person for doing this- but what else was he supposed to do? It's not like he could get a job or have foster parents who gave a shit about him. It's not like he asked for any of this to happen to him, like he wanted to be hungry. Usually Izuku takes his time to pick, but right now with his stomach churning and how utterly awful he feels... he just picks at random and hopes for the best.

The man's coat is long and really he shouldn't feel his wallet being lifted. Izuku hadn't accounted for the man not being alone and now... he's been caught. There is a hand around his wrist and a man with long dark hair giving him a rather disappointed side eye- not anger surprisingly- but definitely disappointment.

He would have preferred the anger- at least he would know how to react to the anger. Not whatever has just happened. Tsukauchi-san -the man he'd tried to steal from-, pulls him in with a kind smile and understanding eyes. Something about the adult just feels so inherently safe- and Izuku has never felt safe around adults before. The man's husband is quiet but pipes in with quips throughout the rest of the shopping trip that Izuku for some reason stays for. It's pretty easy to tell they love each other, that they trust each other.

Neither are angry, and he doesn't understand.

"Penny for your thoughts kid?" Aizawa-san asks, all gruff and calloused edged, but there's still nothing malicious or truly harsh. He doesn't miss the concerned look Tsukauchi-san gives him from over his shoulder, Izuku picks at the hem of his hoodie.

"W-why aren't either of you angry? W-why are you both okay with me just being here? I tried too... I did something awful and you're just nice.. I don't get it."

"The world has been utterly unkind to hasn't it." Aizawa-san responds, it's not really a question- Izuku isn't sure how he is meant to feel about the man's gruff concern and vaguely upset expression.

Almost as if the thought of people being awful to Izuku upset the adult. He wasn't sure what he was meant to feel about that thought. Instead he just shrugs.

"I'm quirkless." He tells them once more, it's an explanation in it of itself- or at least to him it is. Both adults grimace.

"Izuku, quirks or lack thereof shouldn't determine how people treat you." Aizawa-san states as if it is fact, and Izuku wants to believe how sure the man sounds of his statement. But not once in his life had he been given any reason to believe that statement. Quirks were all people cared about, and he didn't have one.

"I wish I could believe you Aizawa-san."

"I wish you could to, kid,- to answer your question- we aren't mad at you, you are a child is a terrible position and it is our responsibility to help you and we do want to help you." Tsukauchi-san reaches behind him to ruffle Izuku's hair.

"Shou's right, we're not mad, and we want to help. Now do you like any of these cereals?" Izuku isn't sure what he's meant to think, he's still reeling from the kindness and he completely misses the look Aizawa-san gives his husband- instead he focuses on Tsukauchi-san's question.

"Oh-uh, I don't know?"

"Fair enough, alright then I think we're done. Let's check out and then grab lunch. Izuku do you have a preference on food or any allergies we need to be aware of?"

Izuku blinks at the kind detective. This whole thing is leaving him without any script to go off.. It was bizarre.

"I'm not allergic to anything."

"Good deal then." Tsukauchi-san says with another smile. Izuku doesn't understand how someone could be so kind.

...

Aizawa isn't surprised when taking the kid to lunch turns into bringing Izuku home with them. Tsukauchi asks him via looks and mannerisms throughout the meal and he's hard pressed to say no. It was obvious the kid-who they learn is only eleven- needs people to care about him. Because no one thus far had given the kid a chance.

He can't even be mad about the attempt of thievery. Izuku knew his actions weren't good, knew it was a bad choice but to an eleven year old kid who has never been shown an ounce of care and respect in his entire life it very well seemed like the only option to be able to eat. To not starve. Aizawa cannot logically fault him for his actions when he really believed it was the only choice he had.

However he could fault shitty foster parents and he would. Which brings him to nodding when his husband offers for Izuku to come home with them for tonight, until his foster parents get back so he's not alone and to make sure he gets to eat again today. The kid stares at them as if they've grown second heads and this must be so odd to the boy who had come to expect everything but decency. Aizawa would very much like to have words with every person who tried to convince this child they were the problem - especially for something out of his control.

"I called the social worker, she was happy to transfer custody to us for the time being. Emergency foster while they look into Izuku's foster parents for negligence- he's not the only kid in the home but he was the only one left behind." Aizawa nods while listening to what his husband is saying. Really some people shouldn't be allowed to have kids or be foster parents.

"Will the other kids take his side?"

"I'm not sure, they're younger than him, however they had a kid who aged out this year who apparently was very close with Izuku and is willing to testify against the parents. Social worker said that they had a lot of negative things to say about the foster parents in their review post aging out." He hums, well that was good at least. Aizawa glances over to the couch where the kid is curled up asleep, a blanket draped over them with both of the cats standing watch.

"I thought he was nine or younger." He admits after a moment of watching the rise and fall of the blankets.

"He's been in care since he was six, his mother Midoriya Inko was killed in a car accident- father signed away rights when he was a toddler. Poor kid has probably been half starved for a long time." Aizawa can only grit his teeth hearing that he glances back at Tsukauchi to find a contemplative look on the older man's face. He sighs.

His husband is so good and kind. But he is also predictable.

"My answer is yes." "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, obviously no one else is going to give Izuku the chance he deserves. Tell the social worker we want to make this a permanent placement if that's what Izuku wants." Tsukauchi smiles in return, nodding softly. Aizawa rolls his eyes.

"Now out of the kitchen with you I need to figure out what we're eating for dinner."

"I love you Shou."

"Love you too Nao, now out- go check on the kid or something." He has dinner to see to and his husband is a horrible distraction for that. Tsukauchi smiles and thankfully leaves without further distraction. Now what is he going to cook for dinner? Something full of nutrients that's for sure, they weren't going to let their kid go hungry ever again.