Izuku is hesitant, but willing to trust Aizawa so the underground hero counts it as a win. Inko leaves Japan with Hisashi a few weeks later, after many rounds of tears and hugs. Aizawa promises both Inko and her husband that Izuku will be in good hands. There are promises for calls and video chats. Plans are made for the Midoriyas to come back to Japan for the next sports festival if Izuku decides to participate. By the shy way Izuku smiles, Aizawa thinks Izuku has already decided he will. He'll do well, with Aizawa's training and his sparring with Shinsou Izuku will adapt quickly.

"Bye mom, bye Hisashi." Izuku hugs his mom and step-dad one last time.

"Bye baby, I love you so much." Inko whispers, teary eyes but smiling.

"I love you too."

With the last goodbyes given, they head on their way. Izuku tucks into Aizawa's side as they walk back to the car.

"You okay kid?"

"Yea, I'm going to miss her."

"Me too. Did you finish your homework?" Izuku waves him off, sprinting to the car and sliding into the passenger seat. Aizawa rolls his eyes as he opens the driver's door.

"Buckle up." He leans over and grabs Izuku's seat belt, ruffling the teens hair when he snatches the safety belt from him.

"Yea, yea. You too old man." Izuku quips with no bite. Aizawa grins unrepentantly at his son, buckling his own seat belt a moment later.

Izuku makes friends in gen-ed. He excels at UA. Aizawa is so proud. His son for probably the first time in his life is comfortable in his own skin and it shows.

The Aizawa apartment becomes more lively, it sees frequent visitors- mostly from Shinso who apparently loves the old cat despite her absolute loathing of him, but from a few of the other students Izuku has become close with. There is a life to his home that he never imagined being there before.

Aizawa is not surprised to find Shinsou there again when he comes in from his patrol some weeks later. Although he isn't exactly sure what the teens are doing either, because neither are speaking instead staring intently at the other in almost sparring stances. Except their weapons of choice appear to be the couch cushions.

"No fighting in the house. Izuku, why are you standing on the coffee table?"

"I have the high ground." Izuku practically chirps, spinning on his heel and smiling brightly at him.

Aizawa sighs, running his hand over his face.

"Get off the coffee table. Shinsou, it's late. Can I assume you are staying the night?" He directs his next question at his apprentice, Shinsou shrugs.

"Yea, if that's cool." The teen mumbles. Aizawa rolls his eyes, he kicks his boots off.

"I don't care, don't stay up much later. I'm going to bed." He scoops the cat off the chair and heads down the hall.

"Night dad!"

"Night sensei."

"Night brats." Aizawa calls over his shoulder without turning his head.

If they wake him up at all before the time in which he deems worthy of opening his eyes in the morning he will make them both pay for it during their next training session. Tomorrow is his day off from both hero work and school, he'd be damned if he didn't get to sleep in.

Of course things aren't always perfect in the several months his son has been living with him. Not that Aizawa expected them to be. They take the imperfections in strides, doing their best to navigate each problem as it comes. They learn and grow together as a family.

Izuku has a hard time asking for help, something he learns quickly. His son also is stubborn, but quick to help even if it's something over his head. That fact alone is often what gets the teen in trouble. Which meant instead of spending his rare day off at home he is making a trek to the police station mid afternoon because his son is a problem child. His problem child, but that is besides the point.

He arrives at the station, walking in and right over to where his son is sitting with an officer who he knows belongs to Tsukauchi's team. Aizawa takes the rag from the officer's hand, taking over in cleaning his son's bloody nose and temple.

"It wasn't my fault." Izuku immediately starts, Aizawa hums, it usually wasn't Izuku's fault but that didn't change the fact that his son always managed to get involved somehow or another.

"He was attacked by a group of boys around his age, they're in detainment right now. Kids from his old school." Detective Tsukauchi walks over to join them, Aizawa glances over, brow twitching ever so slightly. What the fuck?

"Good, I will press charges." The officer next to him nods their head, immediately getting up to get the paperwork for that. Tsukauchi simply nods.

"Figured you might, the whole thing was caught on a security camera so the evidence is indisputable. Your kid also didn't fight back, even though we both know he could."

"I was surprised, there was also like six of them." Izuku pouts at them both.

"He's been checked by our medical personnel on hand, nothing broken, defended himself well without fighting back." Aizawa nods at the information, and turns his attention back to Izuku.

"Concussion?"

"No, headache though. One of them has a quirk that induces vertigo, it gave me a headache."

"He passed the concussion test with flying colors. You can take him home after signing the papers to press charges." The officer returns at that moment with said papers. Aizawa takes them quickly, reading through carefully before signing off on them for filing.

"Make sure it sticks to their records."

"Gonna do my best. Get some rest Midoriya-kun, you too Aizawa you look like shit." The detective quips, smirking ever so slightly at him. Aizawa rolls his eyes.

"Thanks Tsukauchi." He grumbles completely unbothered. Izuku smiles softly at the detective. "Hopefully you have a calmer shift." Izuku calls back. Tsukauchi's smirk shift to a grin.

"Me too kid. Officer, let's get those charges filed." He turns on his heel and the officer follows with a quick 'yes sir'.

Aizawa helps Izuku stand once his nose stops bleeding. Izuku leans into his side and he doesn't mind supporting the teen's weight.

"Let's not tell mom." Izuku whispers.

"We'll tell her later, come on, let's get home." Aizawa snorts. He helps Izuku to the car. (They do tell eventually, but not tonight, tonight they will go home and order pizza. Watch terrible old movies and baby the cat.)

For now they go home.

Things aren't always going to be perfect. But neither expect perfection. Izuku will continue to grow, continue to make friends, continue to help people, and Aizawa will continue to help him the best he can. He will make up for the lost time, he will help Izuku become the hero he always wanted to be.