"I'm home!" Keigo called out as he shut the door behind him, groceries weighing down his arms and mindful of stepping over the line of cans that guarded the entrance. A flurry of footsteps heeded his call, and before long both Izuku and Fumikage were in the hallway to greet him with warm smiles and big eyes.
"Welcome home big brother!" they chimed in unison, causing Keigo to chuckle.
"Mind helping me with the bags?" Keigo asked, holding out a couple for them to take.
"Oh wow big brother!" Izuku exclaimed as he took one, as did Fumikage, the three of them carrying them to the kitchen. "You got so much stuff this time!"
"I had some extra cash and thought we could have a nice dinner today," Keigo said as he set the bags down, omitting that he had found the money just…laying around. On the ground. In a wallet that had fallen out of a man's pocket, too frantic to get somewhere to notice. By the time he had, Keigo was already long gone. "I got some treats too."
"Really?!" Izuku bounced up and down excitedly.
"Mhm. We'll save those for after dinner, alright? You two go wash up and I'll set the table." Keigo said, ignoring the urge to help them do so to make sure they were perfectly clean. He put away foodstuffs and even a pack of soda he had bought while they rushed to do so, then set the table with a bento box and glass of water for each of them.
Fumikage and Izuku hurried back, jumping into their seats and staring in amazement at the food laid out before them.
"It looks so good…" Fumikage said, staring at the assortment of rice, fish and pickled vegetables within.
"Well, go ahead and dig in. It's not going anywhere y'know," Keigo said.
"It is good!" Izuku said after taking a bite of rice that was in the shape of a cartoon character's face, then a piece of a pork cutlet. "Thank you big brother! It's delicious!"
"Anything for my nestlings." Keigo chuckled, savoring the taste of his own grilled chicken.
Both Izuku and Fumikage chatted animatedly as they ate, asking him how his day had been, what he did, and talking about everything they had done while he had been gone. It warmed his heart to see how well the two were getting along, Fumikage and Izuku having grown close over the past few months. Nestlings needed to be there for each other, to play and keep warm together.
Keigo listened attentively, even though he knew most of what they had been up to already—he always left a few feathers behind to listen for them. He hated having to leave them for any amount of time, and it quelled the anxiety that gnawed his insides when he was away. It allowed him to keep an eye on them even when he was gone.
Fumikage and Izuku looked thoroughly full by the time they had finished. He'd save the chocolate bars he'd bought them for later, so as not to risk upsetting their stomachs.
"Thank you for supper big brother!" Izuku said before hopping off his chair, moving over to give Keigo a hug.
"Of course." Keigo chuckled, gladly returning it and ruffling his hair.
"Let's go play some more Izuku!" Fumikage insisted, following after him.
"Okay!" Izuku agreed easily. "But what do you want to do this time? We've already played Heroes and Villains…"
"What about hide and seek?" Fumikage suggested. "There's plenty of places outside we could hide! I'll count to ten, and then you find a hiding place—"
"No," Keigo interrupted Fumikage, drawing both their eyes to him with his stern tone. "You're not playing hide and seek, or going outside."
"Oh okay…" Izuku mumbled in acceptance, a little pout on his lips.
"Why not?" Fumikage argued back, crossing his arms with a stubborn look.
"It's too dangerous," Keigo reminded him. They needed to keep the house appearing as though it were abandoned, and they couldn't do that if they were messing around outside. Who knew who could spot them if they were out there, playing hide and seek without a care? What if he couldn't find them, what if he lost his little brother? They would be so vulnerable outside, away from the safety of the nest where they could be so easily snatched away.
They needed to stay inside, where they had everything they could ask for. Where it was safe.
"You never let us outside," Fumikage complained with a scowl.
Keigo flinched. He'd said the exact same words to his father, many many times. Was he turning into his dad again? Was he worrying too much? Was it normal to let children play outside? Surely public parks wouldn't exist unless it was normal. Keigo was clinging too tightly, was being too much like him. Despite Keigo's instincts screaming at him, he forced a smile. "All right. But you can't go too far. You have to stay within eyeshot of me."
Dark Shadow popped out and said, "You have very keen eyes!"
Fumikage chirped, "Yeah, that means we have to stay within a block."
Keigo couldn't help snorting at the manipulation disguised as flattery. "And you'll tell me in advance where you're hiding."
"That means you can't play, big brother," Izuku pointed out.
"That's fine." Keigo smiled. "I'll be watching over you."
The children played rock-paper-scissors, and Izuku won. He picked hiding first. Standing on his tiptoes, Izuku whispered, "I'm going to hide inside the barrel in the abandoned house next door."
Keigo ruffled his brother's hair. "Don't get a splinter," he whispered back.
"Okay!" Beaming, Izuku ran off. Meanwhile, Fumikage closed his eyes and counted to a hundred.
As soon as the count was over, Dark Shadow took off, scouring for Izuku from the sky. Keigo kept one eye on the children and the other eye on the street.
A man in a trench coat passed by. His eyes widened upon seeing Keigo, then he walked faster in the opposite direction he had been going.
Fear struck Keigo like a lightning bolt. He felt certain he had been recognized. He had a very bad feeling. Hide and seek had been a mistake. He knew he should have kept his nestlings inside the nest, shouldn't have let them outside! He barked, "Fumikage, Izuku is in the barrel next door. Get him and go inside!" Then he took off in pursuit of the stranger.
Fumikage had partly climbed over the fence when a police car pulled up, sirens blazing. Two officers got out. One pointed at him. Fumikage had a split second to make a decision. If he continued toward Izuku, they'd both get caught. If he kicked up a fuss, then Izuku would come out to help. Fumikage knew that Izuku would never betray or abandon a friend. If Fumikage went to meet the police on the street then they'd be far enough away for Izuku not to overhear the conversation. Fumikage couldn't outrun two adult men, but he might be able to talk them into believing nothing was wrong.
Letting go of the fence, Fumikage dropped down. He approached the officers with his most innocent childish smile. "Hello!"
Examining his bird head, the first officer said, "That's definitely him."
Fumikage took this as a very bad sign. He shuffled backward.
The second officer knelt down. "You're very young to be out alone on the streets."
Fumikage said, "I'm heading home after running an errand." He hoped they didn't ask what errand because he had nothing on him. The house looked abandoned, so perhaps he could convince them he lived somewhere else.
The first officer asked, "Do you have a brother with green hair or hawk wings?"
Fumikage stiffened. "I don't know anyone like that. I have to go, my mom and dad will be worried."
The two officers looked at him with disbelieving eyes. They muttered, and Fumikage overheard, "Definitely the kid All Might is looking for."
Dark Shadow stirred under his skin, prepared to attack. "Don't," Fumikage whispered. There was still a chance that Izuku at least might get away.
The officers turned back to Fumikage. "It's not safe for you to be out alone after dark. Come to the station with us." The man smiled, but his tone held no room for argument.
Fumikage let himself be taken away without a fuss. If the officers left this place quickly then they wouldn't find Izuku.
Keigo flew back home in a panic. The man had been a small-time criminal, and with a little intimidation, he'd admitted that he'd contacted All for One for the bounty on Keigo. Even worse, the man said he'd contacted the police too for the second bounty. Keigo had no idea that the police had a bounty on him. He was a small-time criminal. He shouldn't have been worth the effort. But he heard sirens in the distance.
A team of heroes and police were crawling all over his house. Keigo slammed to a halt so fast that he nearly tripped and fell. He ducked down behind the neighboring house, tucking his wings painfully close against his back.
Where were his nestlings? Had they already been caught? The police and heroes were looking for someone–the children? Or Keigo himself? Or both?
If Izuku was still in the barrel, then there was a chance to grab him without being seen. Keigo crouched down low and crawled around the neighboring house. The picket fence did little to hide him from view, but the yard was full of junk he could use to conceal himself.
Keigo found Izuku inside the barrel. Tears streamed down the boy's face. He had one hand clamped over his mouth to stop himself from screaming. As soon as he saw his big brother, he hissed, "Fumikage and Dark Shadow are gone. I heard voices outside but by the time I poked my head up, the police were already putting Fumikage in a car. Oh no, what are we going to do?"
"Shhhh." Keigo put his finger to his lips. Pain went straight to his heart. He'd failed as a protector. His mind raced rapidly. There was not the smallest chance that Keigo could storm a police station, but especially not with All for One on his trail. Both brothers needed to flee town immediately or All for One would lock them up in a vault so deep underground they'd never escape. Every last one of Keigo's instincts screamed to take back his stolen nestling immediately. But the police wouldn't hurt Fumikage. Keigo could only hope someone would find a good home for the child and not return him to the people who had hurt him and made him run away. Right now, Keigo could not protect Fumikage. All for One did not spare anyone besides family, and Fumikage would be in horrific danger if he got caught with the brothers. At best he'd become a hostage, at worst he'd be turned into a Nomu. The police station might be the safest place for him.
Keigo whispered, "Baby brother, I need you to be very, very quiet. Can you be brave for me?"
Izuku took a deep breath, wiped away his tears, and nodded.
Clutching Izuku close to his chest, Keigo crawled away through the junkyard. A broken tin can bit into his leg, but he did not make a sound of pain. He kept going. Once hidden behind the neighboring house, he stood up and crept away.
Only when Keigo was a block away did he dare take flight. Then he fled with all his speed.
Izuku tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Where are we going?"
"Father found us. We have to get out of town." Keigo hated to leave behind his lovingly prepared nest. It had been so much work to get the house into livable shape for the children. Now he and Izuku would be back to living on the streets.
Izuku demanded, "What about Fumikage and Dark Shadow? We have to save them! A hero would never leave them behind."
Oh, how Keigo's heart hurt. He didn't know how to explain this to his little brother. "It's too late. The police have them." He ignored the flare of pain that shot through his leg when he landed in an alley, keeping his ears sharp for any and all sounds. From here, they'd walk to the train station. He'd have to pickpocket someone for a train ticket. He started walking at a fast pace.
Izuku stuck out his lower lip. "Daddy is really strong. Maybe he could help us. I'd never ever run away again if he saves Fumikage and Dark Shadow."
"No!" Keigo clutched Izuku even closer to his chest at the notion of his brother being taken away, his wings bristling and feathers sharpening as he prepared for a fight.
As long as he was alive and standing he wasn't going to let anyone take Izuku. Not All for One or the heroes. He wasn't going to fail again, let them take another nestling.
Fumikage's terrified face as he was taken by the heroes was imprinted in his imagination. Keigo had wanted to turn back, to rip him from his captors but his human head knew better than his hawk's heart. It was impossible. He'd only lose Izuku too. Izuku was more important. His precious nestling came before anyone else.
He had nearly been stolen. Keigo had almost lost him. They would have to find another nest, hidden from the crows that sought to steal from him. Once it was safer, they would migrate to a new location where he could hide Izuku away where no one but Keigo could ever find him.
Because Izuku was his. His. HIS—
A small whimper broke him out of his thoughts, glancing down at Izuku. The child had his face buried in Keigo's chest, his little hands fisted in his clothes and holding tightly. Keigo felt a dampness in his shirt when Izuku sniffled, big, fat tears slipping from his eyes.
"Shhh, it's okay Izuku," Keigo soothed, rubbing up and down his back gently, tucking in his wings closely to his back as he continued making their way to the station, hoping to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. It was not an easy task when his feathers were a vivid red and he held a crying child. Keigo was hyper aware of the stares sent their way, watching for anyone that might recognize them. He ducked behind a tree once ascertaining it was safe, and raised a hand up to cradle the back of Izuku's head, hoping to soothe his little brother. "It's okay," he said again to reassure him. "I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."
"I–I w–wanna go h–home," Izuku sobbed brokenly, shedding even more tears.
"We can't go back to the house now." Keigo sighed softly. "The heroes are still—"
"No! I don't want to be here anymore!" Izuku shouted, cutting him off, shaking his head furiously. "I want to go home! I want my room and my toys! I want katsudon a–and ice cream! I want Daddy!"
"Izuku—" Keigo tried to say, but Izuku wouldn't hear it.
"Daddy would have kept us safe!" Izuku accused through a shuddering breath. "Daddy wouldn't have let the bad guys take Fumikage! Daddy kept the mean people away a–and took care of us! Why did we have to leave Daddy? Daddy loved us!"
"Izuku, I know it's hard for you to understand, but it was for the best—"
"You always say that but it isn't true!" Izuku denied. "W–Why can't we go back? I didn't want to leave! Please big brother, I want to go back, I want to go HOME!" Izuku begged desperately.
"We can't, Izuku," Keigo tried to explain, sighing in exasperation. "We can't go back to Dad."
"I hate you!" Izuku shouted angrily between his hiccupping sobs, lifting his head up from Keigo's chest to glare at him with watery eyes. "I hate you!"
The words pierced through Keigo as though a dagger had been plunged into his chest.
"You don't mean that," Keigo whispered, brushing the curls out of Izuku's face and wiping gently at his tears.
"I-I do! I do hate you!" Izuku insisted, though his voice cracked even as he buried his face in Keigo's neck, sniffling as his little hands clasped onto his clothes. "You're being mean!"
"I'm only trying to take care of you," Keigo tried to explain, rubbing a hand up and down his brother's back. "I can't let anything happen to my little brother." He sighed when Izuku didn't answer, only shaking his head in denial. "…You'll understand when you're older, Izuku."
Keigo resumed his path to the station, the rest of the way filled mostly with silence, save for the occasional whimper from Izuku and Keigo murmuring soothing words to keep him calm. On arrival, he was both relieved and immensely nervous at how busy it was, crowds of people coming and going. Stealing a ticket unnoticed would be easy, but their chances of being recognized were substantially higher.
"I'm cold…" Izuku muttered quietly, snapping Keigo out of his thoughts with a wince.
"I'll get you a jacket as soon as I can," Keigo promised him, descending down the steps to the subway. He stopped outside a bathroom and scanned the sea of faces around them, searching for a potential target, eyeing those that were tucking tickets away into their pockets. He ducked into the restroom, dipping into the last and largest stall and locking it behind him before setting Izuku down gently, lowering to his knees to be at his level, placing his hands on his shoulders and speaking with the utmost seriousness. "I need you to stay here until I get back, okay? Can you do that for me, Izuku?"
Izuku nodded, hands grasping at the hem of his shirt and watery green eyes staring down, fresh tears trailing down his cheeks. Keigo brought him in for a tight hug, before pulling away and cupping his chin, tilting Izuku's head up so that he was looking Keigo in the eye.
"Don't leave the stall. Keep it locked. Don't talk to anyone, and don't let them in. You're not to come out until I get back, alright?" Keigo told him sternly, to which he received a hesitant nod. Keigo pried several feathers from his wings, tucking them into his curly green hair. His nestling had no feathers to protect himself or fly away with. It was only right that Keigo loaned his nestling his own. "I'll be able to keep an eye on you with these. If anything happens, I'll know about it and they'll protect you. Don't lose the feathers, no matter what. Alright Izuku?"
"Y-Yeah…" Izuku said, and Keigo gave him one more hug before standing. He unlocked the door and opened it, exiting the stall. He did not leave until he heard a little 'click' indicating that Izuku had locked it back.
Keigo walked with the crowd, keeping his eye sharp for a potential target. He spotted a few he could pickpocket without much trouble–an elderly man was dozing on the bench, the woman chatting animatedly with a friend of hers, or the haggard salaryman. But they were all either in too open spaces or too many people were paying attention.
Until finally his gaze landed on the back of a large figure in a trench coat and wearing a trilby hat, talking away on a phone. Keigo watched as the man's hand dipped into his loose pocket, prying out a train ticket to look at it briefly before stuffing it back, refocusing his attention back to whoever he was talking to.
Perfect, Keigo thought to himself. The man would never notice if he slipped a hand into his trench coat and pried out the ticket as he passed when he was so preoccupied.
Mind made up, Keigo kept his posture and expression relaxed, as if he were merely another passerby as he strode up behind the man. His heart beat a little faster the closer he came, until he was right upon him. Keigo carefully slid his hand into the pocket of a trench coat, fingers clutching around the piece of paper inside and withdrawing just as quickly. He did not stop his pace, heading for the stairs so as not to arouse suspicion—
A large hand wrapped around his wrist in an unrelenting grasp, holding Keigo in place even when he tried to jerk his arm free, tucking the ticket into the palm of his hand and clenching his fist to keep it hidden from view. Keigo schooled his face, replacing the fear with anger as he turned to face the man.
"Hey, what's the big idea—" he began to demand.
The words died in his mouth. Keigo's throat went dry. His skin became clammy, sweat beading down the side of his face and a tremor making his whole body shake.
Because standing over him with a too wide grin that showed far too many teeth and curls of white hair draped over his forehead, was All For One.
His father.
"It has been quite awhile Keigo," All For One began, the deep baritone of his voice rumbling in Keigo's ears as he frantically tried to free himself, pulling against the hold with every ounce of strength he had, to no avail. All For One tutted softly as he eyed the train ticket that had fallen from his hand, having been forgotten entirely. "Though I must say, I find myself disappointed that you've resorted to stealing. And here I thought I taught you better than that, son. At least commit more creative crimes."
"Let go!" Keigo demanded, feathers bristling and sharpening as overwhelming fear washed over him. "Let go of me!"
"Now now, none of that," All For One chided, as though Keigo was merely a child throwing a tantrum. "Is that any way to act in public, when there are so many people around?" His father glanced away from Keigo, and he watched those hellish red eyes flash when they gazed over the people passing by them, a warning…no, a promise, burning within them. A sense of dread washed over Keigo as those eyes fell back to him. "Why don't we have our discussion somewhere a little more private?"
Keigo was shaking madly now, but he did not resist further as he was pulled along beside his father, despite his instincts screaming at him to flee. Escape, he had to escape! He stood no chance against such an apex predator. He needed to get to his nestling and take flight, to go somewhere far, far away—
Keigo's eyes went wide.
Izuku!
Was he still where Keigo had left him?! Or had his father's men already snatched him away?! He had to get away, had to protect his nestling!
"Good boy," All For One praised, a hand laying atop his head as Keigo realized he had been dragged into a more secluded side area of the subway. Not a single person turned their head in their direction, which Keigo had no doubt was the effect of a quirk his father was using. He glanced about, eyeing the bathroom that he prayed Izuku was still hiding in. Keigo focused on the feathers he left with him, only minorly relieved when he realized that Izuku was still in the restroom, listening closely to the sound of Izuku breathing and the muffled hum of the station outside the stalls. Keigo's attention was diverted back to All For One when he spoke again. "Now. I believe there is much to discuss between you and I. Such as where your brother might be."
"There's nothing to discuss. It's none of your business," Keigo spat out venomously, trying to cover up his fear with anger.
"I beg the differ," All For One mused, far too casual and calm for Keigo's liking, as though he was merely discussing the weather. "I am quite eager to know how my sons have been in my absence."
"Don't act as if you actually care," Keigo accused, feathers ruffling in agitation.
"Of course I care, Keigo," All For One sighed, sounding a bit hurt from the accusation. Keigo gritted his teeth at the tone. "I've thought about the two of you every single day since you took off with Izuku in tow. Do you have any idea what it's like for a father to not know where his sons are? If my hair wasn't already naturally white, it certainly would be by now. So tell me; are you done with this rebellious stage of yours?"
"It's not a 'rebellious stage'," Keigo hissed furiously. "We left because you kept us locked up in our home!"
"It was for your own safety," his father retorted, calm as could be. "After all, the heroes wouldn't hesitate to take either of you if they knew of your connection to me. Just as they attempted to today."
Keigo tensed, his mouth falling open but struggling to find the words.
"I…It wasn't because of that!" Keigo insisted. "It was—"
"But it was," All For One interrupted, gazing down at him with a look of pity. "All Might himself was involved in the investigation of that little shack you called a 'nest'. He knows Keigo. Do you think he would have any pity for you and Izuku? Or that boy that was taken into police custody due to your negligence?"
"T–That…" Keigo tried, and failed, to say.
"I question how well you've been providing for Izuku as well." His father hummed in thought, eyes raking up and down Keigo's form. "You look like you've lost weight, son. Have you not been able to get enough food for yourself and Izuku? I hate the thought of my boys going hungry."
"We've been getting by just fine!" Keigo snapped, bristling at the accusation. "Izuku gets plenty to eat!"
"I doubt it compares to the meals he had at home," All For One replied. "How do you expect Izuku to grow when all he has are scraps to eat? He needs a proper 'nest', Keigo. The streets are no place for a child as fragile as him."
Keigo's first thought was to reject the statement, but found his instincts humming in agreement with his father's words. He had already lost the nest he had worked so hard on to the heroes who would steal his nestling away in an instant. He needed a new aerie, one that couldn't be found, that was warm and safe for Izuku with food aplenty.
"Which reminds me, where is Izuku, Keigo?" His father asked, breaking Keigo out of his thoughts. "Surely you wouldn't have left him all alone?"
"He's not here," Keigo bit out.
"Ah, I see. Found a new nest already then?" All For One mused with a wry, knowing grin. "Is that why you were trying to steal my ticket?"
Keigo said nothing, glaring at All For One, his body tense.
"You need to be more considerate of Izuku's needs, Keigo," he said, voice softening a little. "What kind of life is this for him? Constantly being on the run, not knowing where his next meal is going to be? Running from the heroes who would imprison and interrogate him? He should be at home, Keigo. Where he can play with all the toys he wants and be safe without worry or fear."
Keigo felt his eyes grow warm and sting as he was reminded of his ineptitude over the past months. The days where he struggled to find enough food. When he couldn't give Izuku a fresh change of clothes or keep him warm enough at night. The nights where Izuku would cry and cling to him, confused and wondering why they couldn't go home to all his toys and their father.
How he didn't even have a nest for him to sleep in now, because of the heroes that wanted to steal his nestling and hurt him, for something that wasn't even his fault. How he had already lost one nestling.
How much longer would it be before he lost Izuku too? What if he couldn't provide enough for him? Would it be better for them to return with their father, where Izuku wouldn't have to suffer from lack of food and shelter?
But then he thought back to the vault. How they were trapped there, day after day, unable to so much as take a step outside or glimpse out a window. Where there was no sun or sky or freedom. He vividly remembered how amazed Izuku had been when he had first seen those things, and the excitement he had at seeing other people for the first time in his life.
"N–No," Keigo denied, feeling liquid trailing down his cheek. "We're not going back."
He heard a soft sigh, barely registering it as a large hand cupped the side of his cheek, brushing away his tears gently, like his father used to do when he was a small child. Keigo dared to meet his father's red eyes, and regretted it when he did so, finding they were filled with a father's love and concern.
"Very well Keigo. I know you're only trying to do what's best for your little brother. I was the same with my own," he conceded after a long moment. "But know that the nest will be prepared for you when you are ready to return home."
More tears welled up in Keigo's eyes, even as he shook his head in a fervent denial. The next thing he knew he was being pulled into a hug, a hand stroking up and down his back soothingly and the other resting on his head.
In spite of his conflicted emotions, Keigo felt himself relaxing ever so slightly, taking comfort in the arms that had always held him with love. He hated how some part of him had missed his father. Missed the care and love and protection he had always given them. His arms twitched, moving to wrap around his father to hug him in turn—
Keigo jolted when the hand on his head grew warm, the crackle of energy echoing in his ears, and Keigo stiffened. Immediately he tried to break away, but the hand at his back kept him pinned in place. He struggled regardless, pushing against All For One's chest, knowing what was about to happen—
But instead of the empty void that came with the theft of his quirk, Keigo felt as though something were being shoved into the core of his being, shifting uncomfortably inside his chest before settling into his very soul.
Only then did the hand at his back release him, Keigo all but shoving away from All For One in a panic. His head whipped around to his wings, waiting for his feathers to fall and dwindle away. Yet his wings remained, fluttering when Keigo moved them.
Keigo jerked around to stare at his father, his fury renewed.
"What…What did you just do?!" Keigo demanded in outrage.
"A gift," he answered simply, a smile curling at his lips. "One that will help you to be a good older brother."
"The hell does that mean?!" Keigo shouted, but his father was already turning his back to him. "Answer me you bastard!"
All For One glanced back, tipping his hat. "Give Izuku my love, won't you? I'm sure he misses his father. I'll see you both soon."
Keigo watched as, against all logic and reason, his father disappeared into the crowd. He didn't give it a second thought, racing back toward the bathroom, then paused, terrified his father might have followed him. He sent his feathers out, searching for anyone spying on him. But realistically, if All for One wanted to drag them back, then they were already caught. All for One could have easily surrounded this entire train station. The paranoid villain would never have believed Keigo about Izuku being elsewhere. Strange though it sounded, All for One had let Keigo go.
Had All for One gotten less grasping and possessive since their departure? Hell would freeze over first. There must be some trap contained in the quirk his father had forced on him.
Keigo tentatively reached for where it lay inside him, melded against his own natural quirk. But he felt nothing stir in response. No fire plumed from his mouth, nor was there a spark of electricity in his fingertips. Nor did any part of his body transform. Whatever it was, it was not an emitter or transformation type. An enhancer then, maybe? He couldn't be certain.
He didn't know what game All For One was playing, but Keigo had no intention of sticking around to find out. He ignored the startled gasps and glares as he shoved past people, not caring who he bumped into or knocked out of the way in his hurry to retrieve Izuku from the bathroom.
Inside the stall, Izuku looked up with wide eyes. Tears stained his face. He frowned when he no doubt saw his brother's panic clear as day. "Big brother? Is something wrong?" He reached out a small hand to touch his older brother's face.
Keigo's heart melted. Even when angry, Izuku couldn't help being kind. Keigo scooped up his little brother. "Yes, I ran into trouble." He did not elaborate, not wanting to resurrect their argument about their father. "We need to get out of here."
Bumping into even more people, Keigo fled the train station. He took Izuku straight to the docks, risking flying even though it might attract police attention. His wings beat faster than anytime before, soaring smoothly through the air. They needed to get out of town even more than ever.
At the docks, Keigo stole a pair of tickets off a wealthy, well-dressed couple. He didn't even pay attention to where the boat was going. The entire boat ride, Keigo kept his little brother in his arms, unwilling to let go. His instincts screamed that their father would snatch Izuku up the very minute the precious nestling was out of his sight.
"B-Big brother, I'm scared…" Izuku murmured, clinging tightly to him as he eyed the dark waters over the railing of the boat. Keigo held him even closer than before.
"It's alright Izuku. I've got you," Keigo reassured him. "I'm not going to let you go. Not ever."
Izuku continued to hold onto him tightly as the boat continued onward, shivering lightly against Keigo. Keigo brought his wings forward, covering his little brother to warm him.
The boat got off one town over. Keigo focused on obtaining essentials: food and a place to sleep. The police might be watching homeless shelters, even a town over. Keigo hid his wings under a coat long enough to stop by a soup kitchen, then found a bridge to sleep under.
The next morning, when Keigo awoke, his back ached and he felt hot all over. Gradually he became aware of the hand pushing at his chest as being what had woke him up.
"Big brother, you're smothering me," Izuku complained.
Keigo realized he'd rolled protectively on top of his brother in his sleep. He sat up with a wide yawn, stretching his arms and wings. "Sorry about that, nestling."
Izuku reached up to touch his brother's head. "Your hair looks longer."
"Hmm? Maybe because I haven't combed it yet?" Keigo peered at his wavery reflection in the water under the bridge. Not only had his hair grown longer, it was thicker too. "I guess it's been longer than I realized since I had a haircut." He looked like a man who'd been marooned on a desert island for a few years.
Keigo stood up and stretched. His back felt heavier, too. His wings weighed him down. Maybe he was just tired because he hadn't slept well on the ground.
"Where are we gonna go now?" Izuku asked quietly, eyeing the space under the bridge and the streets beyond them, thankfully devoid of any people.
Keigo swallowed, terrified to admit he didn't have a good answer. "We'll rebuild again. We'll make a new, even better nest."
Izuku stared up at him. "It won't be better without Fumikage and Dark Shadow." The child didn't even sound angry any longer. Just bitterly resigned.
Keigo winced. "Someday, when it's safer, we'll go back to Musutafu and find out what happened to them. Remember, the heroes wouldn't hurt a child. Fumikage is probably eating better than us."
"Then why aren't we with him?" Izuku demanded.
Keigo ran his fingers through his hair, finding a feather sticking out for some strange reason. He shook it off. "Heroes aren't safe for us because of our father."
"Oh…" Izuku muttered dejectedly. Keigo went to say something to comfort him when Izuku's stomach growled. The child shifted lightly and bit at his lip, but said nothing. Keigo felt a twinge of guilt in his chest, taking hold of his brother's hand in his own.
"C'mon. Let's go get some breakfast, okay?" Keigo said, pulling him along and keeping him close as they walked on. He could look for a suitable place for them to roost afterward, maybe pinch a blanket or jacket while he was at it so that Izuku would stay warm and have something soft to lay in. He hated that he hadn't been able to do so last night.
Normally Keigo would leave Izuku alone when he went to steal, but he couldn't possibly let go of his little brother's hand. It wasn't safe. There was no nest to leave Izuku in. Let him out of your sight, and he'll be gone. Don't let go. Can't let go.
The streets had become crowded with commuters heading to work. Salarymen biked by, their ties flying in the wind. Keigo and Izuku had already started to look a little dirty. A few more nights outdoors, and they would stick out in a way dangerous for thieves. For now at least no one shied away from their smell.
Letting go of his brother's hand, Izuku pressed his nose against a bakery window. "I want to eat a croissant."
A surge of panic struck Keigo and he leapt forward to wrap both arms around his brother. "Izuku, don't let go of me," he barked.
"It was only for a second!" Izuku squirmed in the hold with a pout. "I just wanted to look!"
Keigo's heart raced a mile a minute. What was wrong with him? He couldn't afford to attract public attention like this. Why did he feel like a bubbling volcano about to erupt? Keigo looked down at his own fingers, turned clawlike and digging into his brother's shoulders. He forced his grip to loosen and took deep breaths. "Of course. Give me a moment."
Keigo sent in a couple feathers, creeping to the bin of day-old bread by the door. He found an entire bag of croissants and a loaf of sourdough too. The treats fluttered to his fingers. Then the two brothers walked off, Izuku munching on a croissant.
"It's nice and buttery." Izuku spoke through a mouthful, shoving another into his mouth after finishing his first. Some of the tension eased out of Keigo's shoulders when Izuku had his fill, looking much more content and happy than he had before. Keigo snatched the sourdough loaf for himself, biting into it. He didn't care for the taste, but food was food. As he chewed, his thoughts continued to spin.
Keigo had to find a new home ASAP. He found a map sign for tourists. Another abandoned building would be their best bet. In other words, they needed to find the part of town that tourists didn't see. Keigo headed for the edge of the map and hoped for the best.
"I'm tired," Izuku muttered as the walk continued.
"Come up on my back." Keigo knelt down. "You can get some sleep."
"Okay." Izuku crawled on.
A comforting scent drifted in the wind. It smelled like good food. For lack of a better plan, Keigo headed in that direction. The scent led Keigo to a tall building. The residential complex had big glass windows stretching up at least twenty stories. But the lights were all dark. The bushes outside had been neatly manicured, so it shouldn't be abandoned, but the door hung open.
Why did this place smell like food? Keigo's head hurt. His back felt heavy, more so than Izuku's weight could explain. Looking down, he saw he'd shed a trail of feathers on the ground behind him.
Izuku mumbled but did not stir from his nap. Keigo took one step forward, then another. He just wanted to find out what smelled so good. Then he'd leave.
The doorman's post was empty. The hallways were deserted. The elevator still worked. Keigo pressed the up button. He had a very strong desire to be high. A high place, safe, good for building a nest. It would become a fortress where no one could take Izuku away from him.
It didn't seem like anyone lived here either, despite the lavish furniture in the lobby. He didn't sense anyone with his feathers. There was no sound from the elevator when the door opened. An unfinished project then? Or maybe it was simply a vacation home and the owners were away. But who would be rich enough to own a twenty story building? Maybe it could be under renovations.
More feathers shed on the floor as Keigo got on the elevator. Izuku woke up when it moved. "Big brother?" he mumbled. Keigo patted his back reassuringly.
Keigo stepped out onto the roof. Half of the room was enclosed by glass, including an indoor pool. Lounge tables surrounded the pool. There was a machine that produced water with plastic cups on top.
"I'm thirsty," Izuku muttered sleepily, lifting his head up from his brother's shoulder and wiping his eye with the back of his hand.
Keigo poured his brother a cup and handed it up without letting the child off his shoulders. "Here you go." His mouth felt a bit funny and heavy. Had his teeth gotten sharper?
Cautiously, Keigo sent out his feathers searching, but he found no life. The outdoor part of the rooftop had carefully maintained bushes and a fence around the edge. There was a kitchen attached to the pool and stocked with food. Canned goods lined the shelves, but there was also fresh fruits and vegetables in the fridge. There was a bathroom with a tub and shower. The shelves had clean towels.
Finally, one last room contained nothing except piles of blankets and pillows of all materials and sizes: wool, cotton, felt, and polyester. Just looking at it, Keigo's fingers itched to build the perfect nest. The room was stuffed with cloth, layered deep and soft like a bed. The ducky blanket would be perfect to wrap Izuku up inside. A stuffed Teddy bear sat in the corner. The scent of this place had drawn Keigo here. It smelled exactly like home. It called to him.
It was perfect. With this he wouldn't need to leave for some time and could focus on making his nestling a proper place to sleep.
Smiling, Keigo set Izuku down and joyfully exclaimed, "We've found our new home!"
Izuku looked around. Lines formed on his face. "This looks like a rich person's place."
"My little nestling deserves the best," Keigo said, drunk on his triumph.
"But what if they come back?" Izuku asked worriedly. "They'll make us leave…"
Keigo knew that Izuku was right, but his mind couldn't quite wrap its way around the thought. His head hurt. His back ached. He needed to lie down. The nesting room beckoned to him.
"Let's get started on the nest, hm?" Keigo hummed, leading his little brother back to the room with all the blankets and pillows. "I'll fix it just the way you like."
"Can I help?" Izuku asked, looking up hopefully.
"You can help me with the pillows," Keigo suggested. "I'll give you the fluffiest one. How does that sound?"
Izuku nodded cheerfully, moving so that he was out of the way while Keigo set to work on prepping the bedding into a circular shape, layering blanket after blanket on top of each other until it was comfortably plush and soft, tucking in the edges dutifully. Afterwards Izuku began to bring over the pillows, helping Keigo to line the new nest with them. Even that made his wings twitch a little. A nestling shouldn't have to help build his own nest. He was Izuku's caretaker—he should depend on him for everything.
"There we go," Keigo murmured once they finished, fluffing out the last pillow and pulling back the blankets for Izuku to dive into, noting how sleepy he looked now and the yawns he tried to hide behind his hand. Keigo didn't blame him—they had been walking for quite some time and they'd slept poorly last night. He felt unusually tired too.
"It's so soft and warm," Izuku mumbled as Keigo tucked him in, curling closer to him when Keigo laid down as well, eyes swiftly closing in sleep. Keigo hummed in agreement, his own doing the same not long after.
When Keigo woke up, it was late afternoon. How strange that he'd fallen asleep again, and in the morning no less. He'd been so tired yesterday. At least now he felt refreshed. He'd wrapped his wings around Izuku. His wings had grown much bigger, so much that he couldn't help but notice the difference. Keigo sat up and shook out his hair. More feathers fell off his head.
Gently, Keigo reached down to shift Izuku off his wings so he could stand up. His fingers had blackened into claws. The sight shocked him so much that he froze in place.
Keigo ran to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. In just one night, his hair had grown halfway down his back. Strange markings had formed around his eyes. He'd heard of quirks developing and evolving over time, but never this fast. Something was wrong…
In the nesting room, Izuku stirred and mumbled in his sleep.
All other thoughts were erased from Keigo's mind. He had to protect and provide for his nestling. Nothing else mattered.
Keigo went to the kitchen to prepare a nutritious meal, sliced apples and toast with butter. Just what a growing nestling needed. He returned to the nest.
"Thank you, big brother." Izuku ate eagerly, since he'd missed lunch. He kept casting his brother strange looks. Eventually, Izuku said, "I think you have feathers sticking out of your face."
"Do I?" Keigo's hands went to his cheek. A feather must have gotten stuck there. He yanked, and pain responded. The feather came out with a spurt of blood. It had been growing from his face.
Izuku gasped. "Big brother, you're hurt!"
Keigo stared at the bloody feather in confusion.
Izuku bit at his lip, his eyes shifting to Keigo's hands. "Your fingers have turned into claws."
"Have they?" Keigo looked down. Weren't his fingers supposed to be claws? How else was he to protect his little nestling?
Izuku pressed his hand to his brother's face, trying to stop the bleeding.
"It's just a little cut," Keigo said. "I'll put on a bandage."
Izuku stood up. "I'll help."
"No!" Keigo cried. The nestling could not leave the nest. He was too small and fragile. "You stay here."
When Keigo left the nesting room, he locked the door. How convenient, that the door had a latch that could only be closed from the outside. Keigo also liked how the front wall of the room was entirely made of glass. That way, he could keep an eye on his nestling from outside.
Keigo returned to the bathroom, quickly finding the medical kit within. He stared carefully at his face where he had pulled the feather. A layer of soft, fur-like tawny gold feathers, short and soft like down, had begun to crop over smooth skin. The markings appeared to deepen, curling inward towards his nose, which wrinkled at the sensation. Keigo scratched at his face, finding the itch trailed past his cheeks and to his ears. The feathery down had spread there as well. And were his ears…pointier than they had been before?
Keigo was distracted from his musing when Izuku pounded on the glass. "Big brother! Let me out!"
The cries of distress hurt Keigo's heart. He rushed back into the room and hugged his brother, petting and soothing. "What do you need, little one?"
Izuku said, "Something is wrong with this place. Something is wrong with you, big brother!"
The distress in Izuku's eyes pierced the fog around Keigo's mind. Yes, something was wrong. Ever since the train station, he felt…funny. He felt stronger and more protective…was that wrong? It had made his baby brother distressed. That part was certainly wrong. Keigo needed to figure out what had happened to him. He needed to understand more about this strange place. The fog just wanted Keigo to lie back down in the nest, but he fought it off and stood up. "I'm going to investigate the apartment."
Izuku stood up. "I want to come too."
"No," Keigo growled. "It's not safe."
Worried eyes looked up at him. "Will you be back soon?"
"Of course," Keigo promised.
By the time Keigo rode the elevator down to the bottom floor, he'd forgotten what he'd been planning to do. He must have been looking for treats for his nestling. Why else would he leave his nice, safe nest?
The sunlight overhead felt hot and bright. There was a small breeze in the air. It was good flying weather. Spreading his wings, Keigo took off, looking for a shiny toy to bring back for his little brother.
A building caught Keigo's eye. Through the glass walls, he saw shiny jewelry that sparkled in the sunlight beaming through the window. Gold, silver and platinum with all sorts of gems embedded into the precious metals: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds.
In the front display window, a series of necklaces in a row all contained precious stones in different patterns. The largest had a shimmering teardrop opal surrounded by diamonds laced on a silver chain. It shined with a myriad of colors that made his heart beat faster. More cases contained rings, bracelets, and watches. In the posters on the walls, models posed wearing the jewelry. A radiant chandelier overhead cast prisms of light down over the glass cases.
Keigo's claws twitched. These shinies would make the perfect present for his nestling. When Keigo saw a shopkeeper open the case and reach for his favorite opal necklace, his temper snapped.
Keigo dove from the sky. His feathers shattered the glass wall before he arrived, redirecting the shards to the floor so they didn't hit him. Keigo landed on the glass case and snatched the necklace out of the hands of the astonished employee. "Mine," he hissed.
The employee easily let go and ran away, grabbing the phone on the desk.
An ear piercing noise struck his ears, the sound stabbing against his eardrums. Keigo bared his fangs and snarled, more feathers falling from his wings. They shot forward, snatching an assortment of rings, watches and bracelets.
With a good collection of shinies, Keigo saw no point in staying in this loud place. He leapt off the case and took to the air, flying through the broken window. Below, people shouted but no one tried to follow him. It wasn't as if the pathetic ground-dwellers could catch him.
Of course Keigo headed unerringly toward his home. He caught an updraft and flew up to the roof. As soon as he landed, a very strange vertigo hit him. He looked down at the opal dangling off his claws, confused as to how it had gotten there. Why had he done that? Had he just broken into a jewelry store? Memory returned in flashes, the alarm and the employee screaming into the phone for the police. He might have been shot. He'd put himself and his brother into danger just for a necklace. Why…?
It had been to acquire a treat for his nestling, of course. Nothing else mattered. A strange calm settled over Keigo. He had ventured out into the wild world and triumphed, returning with spoils. There was no reason to be scared. The nest was safe.
Time to go find his nestling.
"Big brother!" Izuku called out in relief from behind the glass once Keigo entered. Keigo beamed, happy that his nestling looked so pleased to see him. He unlocked the door, countless feathers following in after and depositing his treasures into the nest.
Izuku paled. "Where did you get that jewelry, big brother? Did you find it around the apartment building? The people who live here will surely want it back!"
Keigo pouted, displeased that his little brother wasn't more happy about his gifts. "Look, little brother." He placed an emerald necklace around Izuku's neck. "It matches your eyes."
Izuku swallowed. "Did you steal this?"
"Do you like it? Is it not shiny enough?" Keigo asked, ignoring Izuku's accusation. He brought up the opal necklace, stroking the smooth, flawless stone carefully so that his claws didn't scratch against the surface. "I like this one the most. Look at how it sparkles in the light!" Keigo lifted it up, so that it caught the light just right, the stone giving off beautiful rays.
Nearly in tears, Izuku asked, "Weren't you going to figure out why this place is empty and what happened to you? Please, big brother! You've been acting strange ever since yesterday! You're a human, not a bird."
That made Keigo laugh. How was he a mere human when he could fly through the sky? He gathered up the shinies, putting them all around the room as decorations. "You can have any you like, Izuku."
"W-We can't keep this!" Izuku insisted, taking off the necklace Keigo had given him. A pang of hurt shot through Keigo when Izuku discarded it to the side. "The police will hunt us down if you take something so valuable! Big brother, what's gotten into you?! You've never stolen stuff like this before!"
"How is it any different?" Keigo retorted with a huff. "It's all for the nest, for you. I refuse to let you go without any longer."
Izuku stood up, looking panicked. "I'm leaving this place! I'm going to find out what's wrong with you!"
"NO!" Keigo shouted. Feathers flew off his body, wrapping around his nestling. Though Izuku struggled, the feathers lifted him onto the pile of blankets and held him down. Standing over him, Keigo bellowed, "You may not leave the nest!"
Izuku burst into tears.
Keigo's heart twisted. His head hurt. Why had everything gone wrong? Why was Izuku upset with him? Keigo had only wanted to shower his little brother with treasures because he deserved them.
Lying down, Keigo wrapped his arms around his little brother and crooned at him until his cries quieted down.
"I'm scared," Izuku whispered, cocooned in the wings. "You're sick, big brother."
"Everything is fine," Keigo reassured him. "I'm fine. You don't need to be scared, nestling. I'll always be here to protect you." Keigo spoke soothingly. When Izuku whimpered, he held the child closer, murmuring soft comforts until Izuku's tears ran dry and his little sobs fell into silence.
OMAKE TIME!
All for One: Keigo, my beloved son, I'm pleased that you turned into a yandere big brother just like me.
Keigo: Actually I think you've taught me some unhealthy behaviors so I'm going to step back and become less overprotective. I want Izuku to grow into an independent adult who makes his own choices and finds happiness on his own terms.
All for One: I thought no family member could possibly disappoint me more than Yoichi, but you've proven me wrong. It's okay, I have a quirk to fix this.