Song of Fire and Broccoli

by ashika pl

It started as a self-indulgent story in which Endeavor is not only Izuku's dad, but also has to raise him, since Inko died, and ended up as a monster of a story about Enji becoming a Good Dad (tm) to everyone who can't run fast enough, and in which everyone gets a cookie in the end. Be warned: 1) Shigaraki's cookie is very Special, 2) Touya's very small, but still is (sorry, Touya

35. The Eve

Nobody was saying anything, their little group slowly forcing themselves to eat, everyone dispirited and grieved. It was particularly deeply etched on Toshinori's face, and no wonder, everyone knew Stars and Stripes had been a student and a friend of his. And the world outside wasn't better. All the hope they tried to instill by fighting ceaselessly on the streets, by providing shelters to people, by conferences in which, of course, they had not promised miracles but had promised to eventually bring everyone their peaceful life back, had shattered into million pieces. Since, if All for One was able to kill the most powerful hero in the world, one known to be able to shape the very fabric of reality, who could defeat him? Endeavor with a feeble fire Quirk? Hawks without his wings? Best Jeanist who had already faced All for One and lost, and then faced Machia and had not managed to capture him? A boy who was supposed to be All Might's successor but was merely sixteen years old? The fact that other countries thought similarly and most heroes assigned to fight in Japan had their orders withdrawn after Stars and Stripes' last battle did not help.

So, there was nothing but darkness visible in the future, and people were resigned and depressed, some voices even whispering about just giving up, about just giving All for One whatever he wanted, though, thankfully, there were few of those.

And the time was short. According to data American pilots shared with them, Stars and Stripes had managed to injure Shigaraki's body gravely, prolonging All for One's full return to power but not by much. They had to try to find him and hunt him down as soon as possible, while they still had a chance. Hopefully had a chance.

And Enji couldn't even stand thinking of the nearing battle. If this monster was able to kill the most powerful hero in the whole world, his kids...

Even if they won this battle...

...he found it hard not to imagine himself kneeling before a butsudan with new photos on it.

It made him want to howl.

It made him want to drug them unconsious and have them sent away.

It made him want to strangle Toshinori that he had given this Quirk to his Izuku in the first place like he couldn't...

...he couldn't...

Enji frowned and his eyes glanced towards Toshinori and Izuku, sitting together, Izuku watching his childhood hero, his mentor and honorable member of the family now so deep in grief.

There was a solution to at least one worry bothering him. But would any of them agree? Was it even feasible? Would Enji be even able to pull it off without training?

But his son, his dearest son would be the main target of All for One. Even if the villain would not kill him before getting One for All, he still would do everything in his power to force his Izuku to give up the Quirk. And he was capable of the most horrifying things, Shimura and Shigaraki were the proof of that.

So Enji couldn't just sit and wait for that to happen.

But he wouldn't talk with them today. Today they had to have their time to grieve.

A message from Hero Network came.

'You're needed in Minami-ku, not red but no one near. The address is...'

He got up. They looked at him and stood up too.

"You're not needed. Rest today."

"Like fuck we will," replied Katsuki with his usual courtesy while the other boys were putting on their suits already.

Enji sighed. Not a moment for grief for the heroes in times like these. Even for kids like that.

888

It was only the next evening that Enji decided to speak with Toshinori and Izuku about the idea that had occurred to him. They went, the three of them, to one of the rooms in the safe apartment, followed by curious (Tenya), suspicious (Shouto), and irritated (Katsuki) glances. They sat down and he felt serious, expectant eyes on him. They probably thought he was going to impart to them a secret plan the Commission developed concerning how could they use One for All, or something like that. He was sure they weren't expecting what he had thought of. And he was one hundred percent sure they wouldn't like it. But his Izuku's life and safety were more precious than anything else.

"All for One is after Izuku," he stated the obvious.

They nodded, waiting for the next part.

"Because of the Quirk you have given to him."

They nodded again, clearly not understanding where this could lead. It was no news and plenty of brains in the Commission - and them too - were analyzing the fact thousands of times thinking of how to use it against the ancient villain.

"A Quirk that is transferable."

Their eyes widened in the realization.

"Why can't Izuku pass it temporarily onto me? I will give it back to him. He is just sixteen, Toshinori. He is brilliant - you are brilliant, Izuku, my love - he will be a better Number One than any Number One in Japanese history, no doubt, but right now he is just a kid that barely got his provisional license. I know I had no training in any of the Quirks One for All provides but still..."

He paused as he saw them exchanging uneasy looks.

"I don't want it for me! I'm perfectly fine having only my own Quirk!" he added, feeling more irritated than he should. He no longer coveted a Quirk like the one belonging to always unreachable All Might, he no longer grit his teeth at his own ineptitude. All this was past now.

"We know you don't," they replied in unison and then looked at each other again.

"...but it's not as easy as you think. This... is a very unique Quirk. It sort of... has a will of its own."

What kind of bullshit was that? Quirks weren't a living creatures. Toshinori probably did not understand its nature, as usual. It had to be something like that kid's Quirk, what was his name, the one with Black Shadow – a part of the kid's mind manifesting physically. Quirks weren't autonomous in any way. They were just part of your body.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" he asked trying to sound patient. Best to let Toshinori explain so that he could easily debunk the blond's ridiculous idea.

"Well... it chooses the successor. Before I met young Midoriya I had met a lot of potential candidates. Mir- Sir Nighteye presented me one particularly gifted. He assured me he would be the best wielder of One for All. He was perfect yet... I strongly felt opposed to it, for no sensible reason. But when I saw your boy, fighting the sludge villain, I felt my Quirk stirring, like it never felt before. I started dreaming about him and I realised All for One had made its own choice, that it was yearning for your child, and no one else."

It made exactly zero sense.

"Toshinori... Quirks don't have personality," murmured Enji. "I don't want to be rude and undermine your version of events but it has been proven without any dispute they're just part of our bodies, they do what our DNA tells them to do. They can affect us, yes, but that's it. I'm sure it was just your honed by years in heroing intuition that made you feel like that."

Toshinori and Izuku exchanged glances yet again. This was ridiculous.

"Have you even tried? We can try."

"Dad..." said Izuku hesitantly. Toshinori turned nervous and somewhat...guilty?

Wait, was this Quirk doing something to your mental health? Creating an illusion of some sort of a split personality, like in what was suspected to be Dark Shadow's case? Had Toshinori given Enji's child a Quirk like that?!

"...I'll explain," said Toshinori quietly, his shoulders hunched, with a face of someone resigned to his fate. What the fuck had the blond done?

"As you know, All for One had a younger brother he was obsessed with. I never truly understood why would he create a Quirk like One for All, a Quirk that could lead to his own demise. Even if he had a twisted form of love towards his brother he was not a person to hand anyone a weapon like that. It was only after... young Midoriya became my successor we understood what All for One truly wanted to achieve."

"Which is?" asked Enji, fear gripping his heart. What was this cursed Quirk, really? What was it doing to you?

"Apparently All for One created this Quirk in the hope his brother would never die. That with the passing on of his Quirk his very soul would be passed too. And if passed to All for One... it would mean his brother would always be with him, always be his."

A memory came, from their last fight with Shigaraki.

'One for All... Become mine... little brother...'

But what did it mean?

"What do you mean? What does this Quirk do?"

"Apparently when you transfer this Quirk, you not only get the Quirk of a previous user but a shadow of them is passed too, a vestige of sorts."

Enji blinked. That made no sense at all. A shadow of a dead person in a Quirk?

"Toshinori, I truly respect you, but this makes no sense. How can a Quirk maintain a vestige of a person? What do you mean by vestige? It affects your brain? Makes you think more like the previous owners were thinking?"

Toshinori hesitated.

"Dad, All Might never experienced it like me. Apparently, there was no need. But... it's like their ghosts. I can see them in my dreams. I can feel and sometimes even see their presence when I'm awake, too. They were helping me when Shigaraki touched me. They've been speaking, fighting with All for One when our minds touched. They have all the memories of the previous owners, and all the emotions and will to destroy that cruel man. They have been giving me advice on how to hone One for All and how to defeat AfO."

"They... they are speaking to you?"

The other two looked at each other again.

"I'm not going mad, Dad," said Izuku sounding partly worried partly indignant. "All Might's sensei mentioned that aspect of this Quirk. And All for One acknowledged it too."

"So it can't be given to someone as simply as you'd want," said Toshinori.

But Enji just stared and stared at the blond, uncomprehending- no, wanting to not comprehend, because all this meant... all this meant...

"You put voices in my son's head," he hissed, fury blazing up like it hadn't blazed for quite some time. Like it hadn't blazed against All Might in years.

"Dad! I'm not mad!"

"I know!" He never even realized that he stood up, now towering on both of them. "I know you're not mad, love! But how can you ever have a normal life with that kind of Quirk! With voices whispering and pushing you to who knows what! He doesn't even understand this Quirk well!"

He could clearly see All Might flinching, called 'he', no longer 'Toshinori'.

"Dad-"

"He has no idea what else All for One could have planted into this Quirk! Maybe you're not mad but maybe this villain wants to try to make you mad!"

Now Izuku was standing too, looking angry and desperate. A little whisper reminded Enji that he needed to calm down, that he knew well anger had always been his own archvillain but he couldn't, just couldn't! His precious child! And...

"...and you were hiding this from me!" He turned to All Might again. "You knew well what you have done! How dared you withhold this from me - his father!" All Might was white as a sheet now but he said nothing.

"DAD! IF THEY WERE GOING TO HARM ME, THEY WOULD! IF THEY SERVED ALL FOR ONE, THEY'D NEVER LET ALL MIGHT DEFEAT HIM! DAD!"

Enji turned back to his beloved child, breathing heavily. His Izuku. His poor pure sweet Izuku. They had found the most kind, Quirkless child that always had dreamt about being a hero and had given him this... monstrosity.

He recalled that All Might had never even asked if he could.

"Are you lying?! Were you lying all that time?! Is this why you never told me you wanted to give my child this Quirk and did it without asking for my consent?!" he hissed again.

"DAD, STOP IT! YOU SAID YOURSELF THIS QUIRK WOULD MAKE ME SAFE!"

"This Quirk made All for One hunt you! Made you hear voices! What if they control you! What if-" He stopped abruptly.

"What if what, Dad?! What if I'm no longer your son but All for One's or One for All's puppet?" Izuku asked, his voice breaking.

"Young Mido-"

"Shut up!"snarled Enji. "You fucking shut up! You ruined him!"

Izuku's eyes went huge and dark as the words sank in and Enji immediately regretted them.

"I didn't mean it, I mean, look at all this, Zuku, just look at this, you're in mortal danger, you have a Quirk created by a villain, you have-"

"-voices in my head, I know!" The tears started to fall down. "But they were nothing but helpful and encouraging," Izuku continued quieter, his voice shaking. "They all were good, kind people, heroes, and I am a hero too, Dad! I am a hero! If All Might had this Quirk for so many years and saved so many people and is still a wonderful person, I don't see how this Quirk could harm me! I am me, have been me, and will be me! I am a hero! All those people before me wielded this Quirk proudly and so will I, Dad! I'm not ruined!" The tears kept falling down and Enji felt horrible but anger was still blazing in him, anger with himself that he had hurt his beloved child so badly this always smiling sunshine was crying, but also anger towards All Might because how dared he, how fucking dared he do this to this child.

"I'm sorry, Zuku, I'm sorry, I just, I just want you... I always wanted you to be happy..." And healthy. And safe. And having a normal life. And had made you into a hero.

Maybe it wasn't All Might's fault, or maybe not only. Maybe it was Touya all over again. Enji putting his dream into his own child's heart and leading to catastrophe. All Enji's fault, again.

"I AM HAPPY. I never was as happy as I am now, with this Quirk, able to save so many people! I would never give it up!"

Oh, God, Zuku.

"Okay... I'm sorry. You're not ruined." He didn't believe that. Now he understood the reason why All Might had no family. How could you, with shadows in your head that whisper to you? How could you even... be intimate with someone? "I'm sorry, love. I just worry so badly."

"One for All won't hurt me, Dad," whispered Zuku. "It's All for One we have to worry about."

"You're right. I'm sorry." But deep inside he knew he would never forgive All Might this. Never.

All Might just sat there, pale, quiet, sad.

888

He rubbed at his eyes tiredly but didn't want to lie down yet. He wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, his thoughts full of yesterday's conversation, his heart burdened by the strained, heavy atmosphere that still hung between him and Izuku, his precious boy visibly upset and hurt by Enji's behavior. But Enji wasn't wrong about this! His child was not only hunted down but apparently couldn't even be easily relieved of his Quirk, and Quirk so burdensome too! Shadows of past users in your head! How could you even stay sane?!

Enji shook his head and took a couple of deep, steadying breaths to calm himself down. Which did exactly nothing. Since yesterday his mind kept replaying what he had heard, his thoughts running in circles around one recurring theme – his Izuku's ruined life, and his anger burned incessantly. He couldn't calm himself down, he just couldn't.

There was a knock. He hoped it would be Izuku but doubted it. His boy was smart and observant, he knew well how Enji felt and he gave up on trying to talk his dad out of his mood. Gave up on talking with him at all about anything but the hero matters. It hurt.

And he was right since it was Shouto.

"Hey."

"Hey, Shouto, love."

"...told you to not call me that," sighed Shouto. "Shouldn't you keep this kind of nomenclature for Hawks?"

Enji forced himself to smile, trying to appreciate his son's attempt to lift his mood.

"What is it, Shouto?"

Shouto closed the door and sat by Enji.

"I understand how you feel," he said without beating around any bushes, as was usual with him. "We all do. But you're hurting Izuku-"

"Shouto! I-"

"Shut up, I 'm talking. You're hurting him and you're overreacting."

"Shouto, I don't know how much you've overheard but-"

"Everything," said Shouto with not an ounce of shame in his voice. "Zuku is right. If All Might went through his life alright and-"

"You don't know that, Shouto! All Might is a master pretender! Always grinning while having a goddamn hole in his torso! This guy sacrificed everything to heroing! No family, no friends! And even his health, look at him!"

Shouto did not argue against that. He'd have to be blind not to agree with Enji.

"Zuku is not All Might."

"Exactly. You know Zuku. He needs friends, needs family, he can't..." He stopped, not knowing how to put it the other way, in words different than the ones that had already proven to be harmful. "...he can't have it with this Quirk. I just can't imagine it."

"I understand you, Dad, but how about you worry and be angry about it when it actually happens? So far Izuku was happy with this Quirk, with all its downsides. It is you who makes him unhappy and distressed now."

"I just love him."

"So do I, but I can get out of my head, unlike you."

Enji sighed. "...but I can't just go back to be friends with All Might like it was before." He knew that bothered Izuku greatly, his face going even darker and more pained whenever Enji was around All Might, with his cold and unforgiving demeanor.

Shouto was quiet for a moment before he chose to say. "All Might loves our Izuku. You can't pretend you don't see it. From what I understood he did not even know there are those shadows or vestiges or whatever in this Quirk. How can you punish him for giving his wonderful Quirk to a boy he found worthy? Do you not think he is as pained and worried as you are? Do you think you're the only loving, feeling father in the world? You're angry and you found yourself a person to blame. Just like before."

Enji paled at those words. "I don't- I wouldn't- I'm just- Yes, I am angry with him, and that's all, it's not going to affect my behavior- I mean- I do not intend to punish him in any way! I'm just angry, Shouto, and I have the right! Even if he did not know the nature of his Quirk, he still gave it to a child! And without my consent! I'm a parent! He shouldn't have-"

"And if he came to you and asked would you say no?"

Enji fell silent, his anger still stubborn on burning against All Might.

"Exactly. You just need to blame someone. You always needed that. Even if that someone was yourself. You wasted your money on that therapy, Dad."

Enji sighed, looking at his hands. He was so angry, so angry! His precious child... but yes, however he tried he couldn't find a fault in Shouto's words.

"You're right," he mumbled finally. He knew All... Toshinori loved Izuku. He knew that well. It was plainer than the goddamn sky.

A small smile appeared on Shouto's face. The slender hand, a hand more of a pianist than of a hero, laid on his. "You're as emotional as Natsuo. I have experience."

Enji sighed again. "I'm gonna call Toshinori and apologize," he murmured.

"So, maybe it wasn't wasted money after all. Good luck, though you won't need it. All Might is a good man, you know that."

Enji sighed yet again.

He reached for his phone when Shouto left. It was quite late but knowing Toshinori the man would still be awake, working.

"Yes, Endeavor-san? What happened?"

What happened was Enji being himself.

"I am sorry... All Might." The guy might not want to be on a first-name basis anymore. "I shouldn't have behaved towards you like I had. I shouldn't have blamed you. I was... I..."

"It's okay," All Might's voice became surprisingly gentle. The man should just spit at Enji or something, after all the love he had been showing and the help he had been giving to his Izuku. "I'd be surprised if you weren't angry. You're a good father. If I had one like you... Well, don't let it bother you."

"Don't be f- Don't be so quick to forgive. The words I told you were extremely hurtful. You can spill everything you think. I deserve it."

"Enji-san," Somehow Enji's stupid heart felt better hearing his name. "I think only highly about you. You protect your children like a lion and I would think less of you if you didn't."

"I... I don't blame you for anything anymore," said Enji quietly. "I was blinded by my emotions. I just wanted..."

"I know. But have faith in that Quirk. It is a good, kind Quirk. My master had helped so many people with it. She was..." There was a hesitation in his voice."No..." sighed Toshinori. "I am lying to you. This Quirk is cursed, in a way. It is." Enji's heart went freezing cold at those words. "I said those words to make myself believe in them. ... but my master was killed by All for One. I... will not live for much longer either, if Mirai's prediction is correct and he barely ever was wrong. But I truly thought, when I was giving your son One for All, all this was over. I didn't know he would be back. You are right... I...I still believe in your Izuku. But I'm terrified you're right. I'm so sorry," his voice shook and broke.

Enji's hand was gripping the phone so tightly now it was a miracle it did not break. So, Toshinori wasn't an idealistic, optimistic to a fault moron. He realized what he had done to Enji's Zuku. To a boy he had come to love, too. But Enji wouldn't blame him anymore. Shouto was right. Toshinori was a good man, loving Enji's son, and Enji was just falling into his old tracks.

"We'll just have to defeat All for One, and we'll think about the rest later," he said as firmly as he could.

"Yes," agreed Toshinori hoarsely, the trace of shed tears in his voice. "If that monster is gone... maybe the very Quirk will change its nature too? Maybe it'll simply disappear? It was created by All for One, after all."

"We'll see. Let us get back to concentrating on All for One." Not blaming poor stupid idiot retired heroes. "I... am truly sorry. Don't blame yourself. I know you wanted nothing but good for my boy."

Toshinori was quiet for some time.

"I mean it," repeated Enji.

"Yes," sighed Toshinori quietly. "Let's concentrate on All for One."

"Try to sleep well."

"'You too. ...thank you for your call."

"Don't be stupid. I fucked up."

"You were just a good dad."

So Enji did what a 'good dad' should do and went to the boys' bedroom. They all seemed deep asleep ...which was weird considering just a short time ago he could hear their quiet voices. He approached Izuku's bed.

"I'm sorry, my love. I apologized to Toshinori. I am sorry. I love you. I don't think you're broken or ruined."

Izuku sat up and reached out for a very long hug.

"Fucking emotional children," Enji'd swear he heard from the direction of Katsuki's bed.

"Like you're the one to talk," they heard Shouto's murmur.

888

"Our time is running short," said Yokumiru grimly. All the other faces were equally dark. Leading politicians, the Commission members, chief of the police, Hawks, Toshinori, Nezu, Best Jeanist – in nobody's eyes was the tiniest glint of optimism. "Shigaraki will be completed in a matter of days. We have to battle him now, on our conditions, or he will bring the war to us on his. I hate to say but it is now or never for us to throw at him all our forces in one final strike."

'More like desperate strike,' thought Enji but he said nothing. Yokumiru was right. It was only going to get worse from now on. Still, they had to lure Shigaraki out of his hiding somehow.

"You want to use... One for All as a bait," he said, making his voice as emotionless as he could. His child. His dearest child. Why didn't he convince him to become a goddamn doctor?

Yokumiru's eyes darkened and lips drew even a tighter line than before. At least Enji could see he hated the idea as much as Enji did.

"He will come after Deku anyway."

'I know,' thought Enji with a bitter ache in heart and nodded.

"Nezu, is Yuuei prepared?"

"Yes. We luckily managed to reconstruct our defenses just in time. We can face the battle any day."

"We have to plan it so that we can maximize our chances of winning," said the prime minister.

Toshinori nodded. "We have been talking about it with the most experienced and talented police officers. We won't be able to take them out when they're together. So many powerful Quirks in one place, cooperating, under the lead of All for One with his undeniably high IQ would be a force we could never take down. However, if we split them..."

"We'd have to split our forces too," replied the prime minister grimly.

"But we will have an advantage of planning all this beforehand. We shall handpick the Quirk users most suitable to defeat each of All for One's most powerful pawns."

"How will we be able to do it without knowing his location?"

Toshinori sighed. "I know him... he won't resist going after One for All. We just have to make him believe it indeed is a mere accident, not a trap."

"He knows Deku is not stupid," frowned Nezu. "All this time he always behaved maturely and stayed safe with Endeavor and his team, never running away. There is no convincing way for us to suddenly change his behavior."

"We have an idea," said Tsuragamae. "We have this boy, in custody. The one who used to spy for All for One."

"All for One has truth-checking Quirks," replied Nezu.

"Yes but we have Brainwashing," said Toshinori.

"Ah, brilliant," Nezu's eyes shone. "That indeed should deceive him."

"And how exactly are we going to do this?"

"We'll pretend we release the boy, having judged him to be a mere victim," said Tsuragamae. "It should seem only natural Deku, with his kind heart, would try to seek the boy out to reach out a helping hand."

"But why wouldn't he do it without his friends?" asked the prime minister doubtfully.

But Nezu was brighter. "Aoyama-kun betrayed them. It's a matter of course only Midoriya-kun would be willing to try and seek him out. He probably wouldn't even share it with his friends, knowing they'd try to stop him."

"Yes," agreed Toshinori. "All for One lacks empathy but it doesn't mean he knows nothing about human nature and motivations. On the contrary, he amassed such influence through a perfect grasp of people's strengths and weaknesses, their drives, dreams, and ideals. The moment he knows about Aoyama-kun's release he'll realize he has a chance to get Midoriya-kun alone, far from other heroes. He knows well this is what a good person like Midoriya would do."

Enji hated every part of this plan. But this was the only plan they had. Shimura hadn't been in contact so he couldn't try to pry AfO's hideout from him assuming the man even knew it.

"He won't be as stupid as to not notice us trying to ambush him."

"No," agreed Toshinori. "But we have this talented boy with a brilliant Quirk, Monoma-kun. He can copy Quirks. And we have a Warp user in custody."

Nezu clasped his hands. "This is brilliant!"

The other men still looked grave and Enji couldn't blame them. Luring All for One and Shigaraki out was one thing. Defeating them though...

"Using Warp we could separate them," said Yokumiru thoughtfully. "Send them to places advantageous to us."

"Exactly," agreed Tsuragamae. "We should work on that part now. We would like to use your experience and well-known intelligence to help us create appropriate team."

Nezu's black eyes shone with happiness and optimism. The same couldn't be said about Yokumiru but he nodded. "This might be our only chance. We have to win."

888

Enji wished they had more time. He wished he could spend as much of it as possible with his family, to show them his love the best he could, to enjoy their presence as long as it was possible. In the end, they only got one afternoon, right before the planned battle to put their minds to rest. He knew his kids intended to use it for training. He, on the other hand, left their temporary hideout, 'Troy', and headed for Yuuei. He needed to see the rest of his children, needed to see Untenmaru. He wanted to engrave their faces in his heart even deeper before the next day. He wanted to keep their worried eyes and sad smiles in his mind tomorrow. Because if the heroes lost... If Enji lost... there would be nothing but horror and misery for his family in the future. So, he couldn't lose. He wouldn't lose. He'd keep fighting even if he lost all his limbs.

He found them sitting together on benches in front of one of the Yuuei shelters created by Cementoss, eating slowly their bentos, deep in obviously not very happy thoughts. Even Fuyumi was quiet, not trying to lift everyone's spirits, completely unlike her. It pained to see. This was how they would look like from now on, always, if the heroes lost. All for One would make sure of that.

Their eyes widened in surprise as he called them. They had been only speaking through the phone those past weeks. Fuyumi immediately rushed to hug him and Untenmaru looked on the verge of tears, a testament to how terribly his old friend worried and missed Enji.

"Hey, Fuyumi, love. You're as beautiful as always."

She smiled at him. "You're such a bad liar, Dad. You know well all this made me prematurely wrinkled. And you can't even get a decent eye cream nowadays."

He smiled back at the joke and kissed her forehead.

"Enji-sama," started Untenmaru and his voice hitched. Fuck this shit. He knew Untenmaru wasn't exactly a hugging person but Enji decided he deserved a little bit of selfishness today and pulled his old friend against his chest.

"I know, Untenmaru, you're too old for this. I promise I'll fix it. Soon."

"You just concentrate on yourself," grumbled Untenmaru, his face hidden against Enji's chest. Enji's height was convenient that way. "You got thin. You're not eating well and not sleeping well. I know that."

Enji tightened his arms. "It's Toshinori's turn to take care of me now and he's-"

"Oh, God, you're gonna look like him. He'll starve you."

"-he's actually doing very well."

"He obviously isn't," grunted Untenmaru and pushed himself away, adjusting his jacket, apparently his time limit for ridiculous, emotional behavior reached.

"How are you, Enji?" asked Rei, kindness that felt so undeserved in her voice.

"I... I just wanted to see you."

They all went somber. His family wasn't stupid. They realized that if he came to see them personally, something big had to be coming.

Fuyumi pulled Enji into another hug. Rei smiled sadly. "Come, sit with us."

"Shouto and Izuku had visited us today too," he heard Fuyumi's quiet, strained voice. "...it's not a coincidence, right?"

Enji couldn't tell her anything, of course.

"Don't worry about anything, love. Tell me about the lessons you hold for the kids sheltered here."

Fuyumi sighed but let the conversation go on to the lighter topics. They talked about the children Fuyumi was teaching and supporting, about the food Lunch Rush was providing, about the robot helpers. The topics surrounding the outside nightmare were carefully avoided. Even his Natsuo was making an effort to talk with Enji normally, and so did his kids' girlfriends, even though Enji expected them to be hostile. A part of his heart warmed up in a way even his powerful Quirk could never warm him – he never expected to even meet them, much less to hold a polite conversation. He just wished it wouldn't be caused by such morbid circumstances. He wished he could meet again, like this, all of them, with Natsuo and his girlfriend, and with Fuyumi and hers, and even with Rei, if such was her wish.

And they would. They would. He'd make sure of that.

Soon the mere couple of hours he had, passed and he had to go back to the other part of his family, the one that would be fighting by his side tomorrow.

"Need to go. I'm so happy... I could spend this time with you. Thank you for that." He couldn't help but send guilty glances at Rei and Natsuo. Rei smiled at him softly and reached out for his cheek, placing one slow stroke on it. "Be safe, Enji. Don't let bad people live and good people die."

"I... I will."

"I count you in the latter, Enji."

'You shouldn't' thought Enji but said nothing, blinking away his tears. She went so far for him. She had all the right to loath him and yet.

"Let's meet like this again," said Natsuo, sounding pretty hesitant and a part of Enji wanted to say out loud that he really did not need to force himself but another part silenced him. If Natsuo wanted to say it, this was his choice. Maybe this was exactly what he needed and wanted, even if it pained.

"Yes, let's meet like this again. I will be so very happy too," he replied instead.

"Enji..."

He turned to Rei again. She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "I... I... The blame for Touya is on us but... don't get yourself killed. You are needed to save people. You are needed to watch over Shouto. You can't die. I can't even imagine... ...what you will go through. I can't even imagine... making... the decision you might... But you can't die, Enji."

Enji swallowed. He had no idea what was more horrible to go through – having to meet Touya again, who knows, perhaps to even fight him if their plan somehow failed, or having to stay here, like Rei had to, unable to do a thing, thinking about your villain child, out there, killing, and fighting your other child.

"I will do... everything I can, Rei. I promise."

Rei very gently and tentatively surrounded him with her small arms, and everything in Enji broke. The tears escaped and dropped onto her silver hair. He never deserved her.

He got back to their small fortress with an even heavier heart. He had been so happy to have been able to see them all but at the same time, the weight of the next day's battle grew even heavier.

All for One, so powerful he managed to kill very Stars and Stripes.

Touya, his own very child whom he would never stop loving.

Shigaraki, a poor, manipulated puppet who, knowing All for One, probably never had a joyful day in his life.

His beloved kids, who would have to fight and survive.

He dreaded the day. And he dreaded his emotions might make him fuck up and make a mistake and... He took a deep breath. What was he, a kid straight out of Yuuei? He would win this. He was the Number One. He had Shimura by his side, and his brilliant Izuku with All Might's Quirk, and Nezu's intelligence, and Aizawa with his Erasure, and that kid with Copy, and so many accomplished, great heroes. They would win this. They would.

He went to Toshinori's room to find the man browsing the Internet, frowning, with plenty of notes around him, and a phone right by the keyboard. The man, as to be expected, was going to be working until the last minute.

"Don't overdo it, Toshinori."

Toshinori smiled at him, genuinely. It moved Enji more than he'd like to admit that the blond truly had forgiven him for his vile behavior. "It's the least I can do. I won't be of that much use to you tomorrow."

"You have been plenty of use so far. And I doubt a hero as experienced as you would prove completely useless on the battlefield."

"Well, I suppose I can always take care of the wounded."

"It is a crucial part too."

"I know," sighed Toshinori. Enji'd bet they both thought it would be really good if there were only wounded not dead.

"So, don't overdo it."

Toshinori smiled at him again, and Enji's heart got a little bit lighter. To what had this world come to if All Might's trademark, always so despised by Enji habit of smiling in the face of darkness would actually lift Enji's spirit? Though, admittedly, this was a different smile than All Might's stupid grin. This was warm and real and grateful and... argh, Enji was really such a sap.

"Goodnight, Toshinori."

"Goodnight, Enji-san."

He went to the training floor but found only Katsuki there, kicking and punching as if he shared Shigaraki's dream of destroying everything.

"My boys?"

"In their rooms!" spat Katsuki, breathing heavily, his body covered in sweat.

"You're doing great."

"Like I don't know."

Enji decided to very emphatically roll his eyes and went to Shouto's room to find his boy reading a book peacefully, quiet calm music playing from his laptop.

"Hey. Want not to be disturbed?"

Shouto hesitated but put the book away. That boy. He was becoming more and more like Izuku, in his own way.

"It's okay, Shouto. If you prefer being alone, I will be okay with that. This is an important evening. Make your mind as comfortable and peaceful as you wish."

"You have really changed so much," said Shouto. "I would love if you stayed but I just... don't want to talk. But I don't mind reading and having you by my side."

"I understand."

"I brought some tea bags from the cafeteria. The kettle is on the desk."

So he sat by his Shouto's side, glancing curiously at the book the boy was reading. The title was 'Eragon' and it obviously was about dragons, judging from the covers. Was it Shouto's favorite one? His comfort book? He itched to ask but he was a good dad now, he'd respect his child's need for not interacting. He took a sip of his tea (truly terrible in comparison to what he loved to drink but still tea. He'd die without tea, he knew it) and closed his eyes drowning in the relaxing playlist his son put on. They apparently had the same taste in music. His heart leaped slightly at the thought he and Shouto had something good in common.

Soon a light knocking was heard and Tenya joined them hesitantly, obviously unwilling to break the father-son quiet harmonious moment. Like he wasn't his kid to Enji too. Enji smiled at him encouragingly while Shouto murmured 'Of course you're not intruding as long as you let me read', rolling his eyes and Tenya joined them. Sometime later they were joined by his Zuku too and they were sitting like this - Shouto still reading, Enji just listening to music, Izuku browsing his phone and smiling at something, probably some gay 'fanart', knowing him, Tenya deep in thoughts, his unseeing eyes on Shouto, looking somewhat wistful. Was he thinking about his brother who couldn't join them? Well at least Tensei was safe, though he would never say it out loud, he knew how angry it would make his dear Tenya, the boy who always believed his brother's place should be among heroes, fighting for everyone's shared dream of a better world, or at least a better future for those whom they were rescuing.

Finally another, much louder knock brought them out of their reveries. To Enji's surprise, his Zuku was already on his feet, as if he knew who to expect. And, indeed, they saw Katsuki on the other side of the door, looking livid. Izuku's face immediately was marred by a deep frown.

"I'll never change my mind," he said in an adamant tone.

"You're a fucking IDIOT! YOU'RE MAD, INSANE, COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!" shouted Katsuki. Enji was on his feet immediately. His Izuku did not need this on the very eve of-

Both Tenya and Shouto jumped towards him and dragged him back down.

"What are you-"

Izuku glanced back at all of them, some steely resolve visible in his eyes, and then he smiled at them with his warmest, brightly shining smile. "Thank you for this time. I really loved being with you. I love you all so much. But now I need to talk with Kacchan and please, don't disturb us."

"You're a fucking sadomasochistic-" But Izuku just dragged Katsuki away, closing the door behind them.

"What the hell are you doing!" growled Enji before he could stop himself. "Izuku doesn't need that asshole t-"

"Yes, he precisely needs that asshole," sighed Shouto. "Just let them deal with it themselves. You can't change some things. Believe us, we tried."

Enji blinked at his son, completely lost. "I don't get it," he said. "I thought they were past, well, their past. Katsuki behaved pretty okay, well, okay for him, until now. Why is he suddenly aggressive towards Izuku again?"

Shouto looked at Tenya who in turn looked at his own hands, apparently opting to stay away from discussing the topic with Enji.

Shouto sighed again. "He's not aggressive-"

"That behavior wasn't aggressive?"

"He just wants what he thinks is good for Izuku."

Enji did not understand an iota from all this but he started to have very bad feelings.

"And what Izuku wants to do that Katsuki thinks is bad for him?"

Both boys exchanged the looks again.

"What Izuku intends to do behind my back?" Enji asked again, feeling more and more distressed. He knew his Izuku all too well, after all.

Shouto heaved the deepest of sighs. "I'll tell you but I forbid you to go and try to interfere. You keep saying on a day like this he doesn't need Bakugou and his temper tantrums, but what he actually does not need is you butting in."

"Butting in what?"

Shouto sighed yet again, looking as though he was bracing himself. "He has a crush on Bakugou."

Enji blinked.

"Extremely huge one too," added Tenya in a defeated tone. "We tried to talk him out of it, we really did, but he is much too... involved."

Shouto just shrugged. "It's a first love. It burns strong and short. Everybody knows that. Let them just... try, and before you realize, they'll be on their way to other partners."

"Chigira-san?" asked Tenya gently, worry on his face.

Enji closed his mouth.

"Katsuki?!"

"Yeah, I know," agreed Shouto. "Let them be. They'll figure out it won't work. Bakugou already guessed as much but Izuku is stubborn."

This... this was information that simply refused to be processed in his mind. His Izuku? In love with Katsuki? With Katsuki?

"But... he bullied him horribly! And before that, they were like family! It makes no sense!" What was Izuku thinking? Why would he fall in love with Katsuki of all people? That so completely, totally, utterly lacked any rational explanation!

Shouto shrugged. "Don't ask me. But... everybody saw there were some truly strong emotions between them. We thought it was just their past - Bakugou feels guilty but can't express it like a civilized human being, and Izuku is a softie who only remembers they used to be close friends, but then you told me he was in an unrequited gay love and I started watching him more closely, and I started asking him questions, and, well. He finally told me the truth."

"But why?" asked Enji helplessly. "Why would he?"

"I asked him the same and he told me you can't just explain why you love someone. Told me he likes too many things about Bakugou. Me, I can't see anything to like to a point of falling in love, but apparently Bakugou is his type."

Katsuki? Violent, loud, bad-mouthed, emotional Katsuki? His Izuku's type?

"Like... because they're so different?" he asked, shudder running through him.

"Might be. I don't know, old man, never been in love. And you're ace or demi or something too, so I don't think it's something you could understand either. But people apparently are attracted to other people, like to their, you know, bodies, or behavior, you know, turns them on."

It was horrible enough to think his pure Izuku was already at the age when you got turned on by other people's bodies, much worse to think he would... want someone like Katsuki. Maybe Enji had fucked up somehow? Maybe it had been his parenting that had made his son drawn to bullies? But he was sure with Izuku he was doing okay! His therapist agreed!

"Do you think it's my fault? Shouto, tell me the truth!" he groaned.

"Chigira-san," protested Tenya. "How can this be your fault?"

"Exactly. Izuku is Izuku. This is his life. You have to let him choose his partners. And if he makes a mistake, it is your job to be there for him then, not now."

"You really have become so people-wise, Shouto," said Enji truly impressed. He was glad his boy, who used to be so similar to Enji in this, would not grow up to be as socially thick as Enji after all.

Shouto looked at him with his eyes widening and got slightly pink. "Thanks," he murmured. "But it's all thanks to Zuku. He helped me understand people a little better."

"I think you are amazing at that, Shouto-kun," said Tenya smiling warmly.

"So... I just have to survive the period of time when my precious child will be with this ruffian."

"Yeah," agreed Shouto.

"It pains me, too, Chigira-san," added Tenya, his eyes full of understanding. "It's truly pearls before- well, I mean, Izuku surely will find a boy more like himself."

"I hope so," said Enji looking at Tenya with renewed affection.

888

"Did something happen?" Ah, Mum would always sense things like that. But he couldn't tell her anything, couldn't risk that.

"Nothing new, Mum."

She was watching him closely and he was sure she guessed correctly if Enji's mood wasn't burdened by something that had happened, it had to be something that would happen.

"We'll all see it end, Enji. We will. A lot of horrible wars had rolled over countries in the past and good people still had won, in the end. We'll live through it. We have conviction, Enji. We have lovers and children and parents to protect. You'll walk us all through this. You, Enji, but also all the people who work with you. We'll win, Enji." She smiled at him with this smile full of unconditional love his real mother had never given him.

"Thank you," he said quietly. "I am blessed by having you two."

"Just make sure you survive with the most important pieces attached, Enji! Everything else, you can live without!" Grandma grinned her unfaltering grin. She was so strong, Enji envied it.

"I'll keep that in mind," Enji smiled back.

He sighed and called Shouta. He knew better than to bother him earlier, as the man intended to talk with Kurogiri yet again, and also wanted to spend some time with Midnight.

"Hey," he heard a tired voice.

"How is Midnight?"

"...no miracles. But her spirit is indomitable as always. I am sure she'll show everyone you can enjoy life even with disabilities like these."

"Healing Quirks keep evolving."

"They do."

"How are you, Shouta?"

"I want this all to finish as soon as possible. I want to be back to facing a bunch of irritating teenagers who can't keep quiet in my class. I worry about the cats." Yes, the cats. Enji quietly agonized over them even if he had been visiting his household regularly to make sure they had water and food. "But apart from that, I'm fine."

Enji wasn't that obtuse to ask Shouta about Kurogiri. The man would speak on his own if chose so.

"Do you want to spend some time with us?"

"I appreciate but I want to have a good night's rest."

"I understand. Well then... see you tomorrow, Shouta."

"Until tomorrow, Enji."

He put down the phone and looked at his Hawks. The wings were growing very quickly but still weren't big enough to let his boy fly, so his bird decided on using prosthetics though the doctors warned him it might damage the growth. Enji hoped the regenerating Quirk Shimura had used on Hawks would overcome that obstacle.

"I'm glad you'll be by my side," he murmured as he laid down by his precious bird.

"Just don't get distracted," purred the bird.

Enji smiled softly. "It is going to be difficult."

Hawks smile widened. "Mmm, I bet. Though it's not me who has The Perfect Ass TM."

Enji chuckled at that. He missed this. They hadn't been spending nights together recently because it could draw villains to their safe apartments. And even during their short meetings, Hawks wasn't in his past mood of a dirty joker. And, indeed, he became serious again. Enji sighed. Nothing lasted forever, apparently.

"I mean it, Enji. Don't get distracted, love. You know what I mean."

He knew well what Hawks meant and the pain was white-hot when he thought about it. 'Don't get distracted if something happens to me,' that was Hawks' meaning.

"And you too, little bird. Still, let's do our best to survive."

'I already buried one love of my life.'

"You bet I will. I want to see that better world."

"Yes, about that," said Shimura matter-of-factly.

Enji froze, his fists clenching. He was fucking cuddling with Hawks in their bed, for fuck's sake, the day before they could get killed!

"Yes, I noticed," said Shimura dismissively. "Indeed, tomorrow is the big day. The day you'll finally get your hands on Shigaraki. With my little help, I'm sure you will be able to kill him."

Enji shot a glance at Hawks who was, as usual, completely impassive in front of the villain.

"I have been assigned to the group that is supposed to take care of All for One."

"Well, then, kill him first, and then get your ass over to Shigaraki. With all my respect to heroes who are going to battle him, I doubt they'll manage to off him before you get from Gunga to Yuuei."

Even Hawks, usually in control of his emotions, uttered the quietest exhale.

"True. My Enji can be so silly sometimes. He'll just kill All for One and then Shigaraki. I don't know why we even involve other heroes. That was so stupid of us."

The corners of Shimura's lips actually lifted slightly at that in a small but still creepy, self-satisfied smile.

"We'll go all out tomorrow, Hawksie, little bird, at least at some point. I still can't appear but I will be less bothered about little things like people wondering since when Enji has multiple Quirks. But the moment has to be right. We can't let either Shigaraki or All for One escape. So, I ask you very nicely not to spill it out to any of them at any point, that I am involved. All for One is proud and haughty but he values his life over anything else in this world and he will try to retreat if he realizes he is going to die."

Enji's eyes widened and his mouth parted in mock disbelief. "Damn! I never thought he would!"

Shimura rolled his eyes. "Oh, fine, I'm sorry I disrupted your little precopulation mating ritual. Still, no need to be so unpleasant. I'll be off. Enjoy yourselves."

Enji turned serious again. "You speak about it like you are certain we're going to win."

"I'm certain we can kill Shigaraki and All for One. Still, Japan is in shambles. And how many heroes will die, how many villains escape, that's another story."

"Will you be able to protect my kids?" asked Enji, his heart picking up the tempo.

Shimura rolled his eyes again. "Will do my best. But remember, you do your best too. You fucking trust me if I tell you something or ask of you something. And. Don't. Get. Emotional."

"I won't," grumbled Enji irritably. What was he, a child? To be schooled by a twenty-one-year-old brat?

"Even when Dabi attacks you?"

Enji's heart froze, then a thought occurred. "You could make him unconscious. You could make him stop fighting me! You could-"

"No."

"Shimura, I beg you!" He felt his Hawks' hand squeezing his, the golden eyes sending a quiet warning.

"No. This is what he had chosen, Enji. You have no right to ask me to control him. I never controlled you, a goddamn, cursed hero, and I won't fucking control him. This is his life, his choices, and you better get your fucking head cool about it."

"This is my child, Shimura!"

"Everyone's someone's child; all the villains are. I won't. And stop getting on my nerves. You're full of requests and pleas, and what am I? Your errand boy, to agree to all of them? Since when I'm a hero's sidekick?"

The pain intensified in Enji's heart at the thought of his Touya, tomorrow.

"You want me not to be emotional when my child attacks me? If you want me not to be emotional when my beloved son tries to kill me, don't let it happen!"

"You want All for One and Shigaraki killed or not?" Shimura barked angrily. "Is this about you and your guilt, or about winning the battle, in which your other kids are fighting too? Or is cleaning your conscience more important than anything else?!"

Enji hung his head.

"Okay," he said quietly.

Shimura kept looking at him, growing more and more incensed.

"And have you forgotten my little conversation with Hawks about Jin? Even if you 'save' your son, he'll just have a blissful life in Tartarus which I'm sure he'll enjoy."

"His place is in a hospital, not a prison," growled Enji, bitterness and sorrow drowning his heart.

"Ah, yes, I'm sure you'd pull your strings and make it happen. So, fine, he'll spend whole his life in a mental facility, filled up to eyeballs with drugs. I'm sure this will make him forgive you and love you again."

"I'm not-! It's not about me!"

"Yes, it is!" spat Shimura angrily. "You think only about yourself!" And he was gone.

All this was horrible. They needed Shimura and Enji just made him angry before their decisive battle. What would the villain do? They needed every advantage. With Shigaraki's and All for One's power the slightest straw could tip the scales and drag heroes down towards their defeat.

"Fuck! I need to somehow reach him and apologize, we can't afford-"

"Enji!"

Enji fell quiet.

"Enji," repeated Hawks softer, one of his hands on Enji's, another on Enji's cheek, so gentle and tender. "Love, I don't think anything you could possibly say could truly affect his tomorrow's actions. He loathes All for One, he has his goal, he has his path we know nothing about. We know for certain he is going to help us with killing both of the biggest menaces Japan had ever seen. But we always knew he was a villain who, in the end, after he stops needing you, will do whatever he pleases. So stop fretting, stop panicking. It's the stress and worry getting to you, love. You did not ruin our cooperation with him just because he didn't like the fact you don't want to see your own son dead."

Enji pulled his bird closer and buried his face in that golden hair.

"You're... right. I'm so terrified, Hawks, that I'll see them dead tomorrow. My kids. It scares me so much I want to scream. Some professional I am."

"These are your kids, Enji, love. But we will win. You saw how confident Shimura is. We shall win, you'll see, Enji. Our kids will be safe."

The soothing voice of Hawks, so much more mature than his age should allow, so much more mature than Enji himself, did what seemed impossible mere minutes ago and Enji's heart started to slow down, the grief, and fear, and pain slowly subsiding.

"It's just so hard," he still said quietly. "On one side my children risking their lives to save our society. And, on the other side... also my child."

"I know. That is, I don't think I will ever be capable of truly knowing what it must feel like but, Enji... we'll pull it. We'll do it. We have conviction, we have our loved ones. They won't win."

They stayed like that for a long time until Enji finally broke their embrace to take Hawks' face into his hands which looked so big and crude against this little bird and pressed his lips against Hawks' for a long kiss.

"Let's make this a wonderful memory, Enji," whispered Hawks when Enji finally let him talk. "Let's make this evening a most beautiful moment that will stay with us tomorrow. Let's not let anything mar it, love."

"My whole life with you is a wonderful memory, my little bird. Nothing could ever mar it."

The golden eyes were dark now as those simple and truthful words resonated and then pure happiness shone from this, so precious to Enji, face.

"I am happy to say the same about you, my big, wonderful guy," came the quiet voice before the smaller lips pressed against Enji's.

888

"I'll check up on the kids."

"Okay," murmured Hawks, his eyelids heavy, but a small relaxed smile still on his lips. "But you have to get some sleep, love, before tomorrow."

"You were the one distracting me from it."

"Vice versa, sweetheart."

Enji smiled hearing his beloved endearment and quietly closed the door.

His Shouto's room was the closest and after a second of hesitation, Enji simply sneaked in, as quietly as he could. The precious boy was deep asleep, thankfully, his face as peaceful as if tomorrow was just another school day, not a fight for the future of their whole country. Enji put the lightest of kisses on his white and red hair and exhaled with relief when Shouto did not awake.

"I love you," he whispered quietly.

Tenya's room was next and, to Enji's concern though not surprise he found the boy staring at the ceiling.

"Hey, Tenya. Sorry for entering without knocking," he said softly, approaching the bed, taking in this pure child's troubled features.

"I'm sorry, I know I should be sleeping before tomorrow," murmured Tenya guiltily.

"You should try. But I understand you. If I didn't have Hawks by my side I would be agonizing whole night, thinking about my possible mistakes."

Tenya looked at him with wide eyes.

"But we're not alone, Tenya. We will be there together tomorrow. We have a solid plan. We will win."

Tenya did not look convinced but still said. "We have to. No other choice, right?"

"We will win, Tenya. All for One has no one to fight for. He will never risk his life for anyone. He doesn't know what it means to battle to your last breath, to your last drop of blood because you have people to protect. Nothing can beat the ferociousness of love, however fairy-talish it sounds. He can use all his Quirks on us but it won't be enough to defeat people for whom it is now or never. Who fear no death if it means the life of those you love."

Then it hit him what the fuck was he saying to this righteous, brave child. What was fucking wrong with him? He again just let his emotions rule and words flow without his mind making a double-check.

"I mean, we still should not throw our life to the winds and act recklessly," he added hastily. "Our families will be waiting for us."

"I know," said Tenya softly. "I... have someone special."

Enji let the boy speak, glad Tenya's thoughts apparently did not dwell too much on 'battling to your last breath'.

"I have... I wondered if I should tell him how I felt before tomorrow but... I spoke with Hawks and he was right, it would be the worst, for both of us. So I need to be alive, we both need to be alive so that I could tell him that after the battle. So, I know, I need to live. I want to see him again, and tell him."

Enji smiled softly.

"You will."

"I- I know it's horrible of me but..." Tenya now looked straight into Enji's eyes, and Enji could see how tired and anxious the boy was. "...I know I sound like a coward but do you really think we'll win? I know I sound like a coward," he repeated dejectedly.

Enji was glad the boy was honest with him. He knew Tenya was always the first to encourage and lead everyone, to pour optimism into everybody's heart. But deep inside of course he'd worry, of course he'd have dark thoughts.

"No, you don't. I know you're worried you won't see your family again. I know you're worried the person you love might die. I feel the same. I know you're not afraid."

He saw gratitude in Tenya's eyes. "You really understand these things, Chigira-san... well, no wonder, you have been a hero for such a long time."

"I think we will win, Tenya. I truly think that. We..." he hesitated but he supposed even if All for One somehow found a reason to search through Tenya's mind, he'd just assume Enji had been trying to comfort the boy. "...have a certain... ally."

Tenya's eyes were on his, searching for a shade of lie and Enji was happy and relieved when they softened and a shadow that he saw previously seemed to have receded a bit.

"Thank you," Tenya smiled. "Sorry for being stupid."

"You're not stupid, Tenya, you are brilliant, and that is my professional opinion."

Tenya laughed softly.

"Want me to stay with you a little bit longer?"

It was dark but he'd swear Tenya's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Of course not, Chigira-san, go to sleep," he said sounding embarrassed. And absolutely not honest.

"I'll stay. I'm not sleepy at all."

He sat on the floor by Tenya's bed thinking about how this child was always a family kid, loving his parents, and grandparents, and brother so badly, to the point of wanting to kill a person who harmed them, and now, before such a day, he was far from them. He took Tenya's hand and started stroking it gently with his thumb, letting his Quirk burn a little warmer in him than usual. He left only when the boy's breathing finally turned deep and peaceful.

Finally, he reached his Izuku's bedroom. He sneaked inside without any guilt, they had always been so close, aft-

His Izuku was asleep but not alone. He was curled up against Katsuki, the other boy also deep in his dreams, an arm surrounding his son. Enji could recognize the faint scent of...

He sighed. They were sixteen. His Izuku wasn't a tiny child anymore. Tomorrow he would be battling the most powerful villain in Japan's history. It made sense he wasn't too young for... love if he wasn't too young for seeing death.

Of course, that his Izuku chose Katsuki alarmed him but it was the least pressing problem tonight. If his boy was happy before tomorrow, that was all that mattered.

He approached both boys and, again, put the slightest, lightest kisses, mere brushes, on both foreheads.

"I hope you made him happy, you little fuck," he murmured as softly as he could.

One of Katsuki's eyes opened, the worryingly perfect pretense of sleeping dropped, and the glare Enji received was the one Enji himself would be proud of.

888

Additional scene

888

"Who is Tenya in love with? Why didn't you tell me?"

Hawks turned his head from where he was spooned by Enji, his features relaxed, limbs languid, enjoying this little time of peace before the storm.

"Oh, he told you? I thought you were the last person he'd want to know about it."

Enji felt horrible.

"Why?" he pouted. "What did I do? I've always supported him the best I could," he complained, hurt and unhappy.

"That's not it," chuckled Hawks. "You're the dad of his love. Dads tend to be protective and want their kids to have ideal partners."

Wh- what?

Then Tenya's yesterday's words came back to him. 'It's truly pearls before- well, I mean, Izuku surely will find a boy more like himself.'

"Izuku!"

Hawks snorted. "Oh, come on, they're pretty much brothers."

"Zuku and Katsuki used to be pretty much brothers too."

"That's different, I told you. They haven't seen each other for years. And then he meets Katsuki again, in Yuuei, all ripped and-"

Enji groaned. "Spare me, Hawks, I don't even want to begin to think about that."

"It's your Shouto, love."

Shouto?

His distanced, straight-forward, with a weird sense of humor, not the best with people and emotions Shouto?

Or rather... his beautiful, skillful, kind, smart Shouto?

"Ah."

"Yes, ah. I've been there when they first met, years ago, remember? I saw Tenya's dropped mouth when he saw that little beauty of yours. He looked like he saw an angel descending from the heavens." What? Enji hadn't noticed a thing! "It was unbelievably cute. But he never made his move so I thought that it had passed. Though then again... I sometimes wondered if it's just me or does he has his eyes mostly on Shouto. That he listens to Shouto more intently than to any other person around."

"I never noticed a thing!"

Hawks chuckled. "Well, he definitely wasn't obvious, if even I, the expert, had my doubts. He certainly knows how to behave, our Tenya-kun."

Tenya, his little pure, kind, well-behaved, smart, loving his family Tenya?

Enji couldn't think of a better boyfriend for his Shouto. Tenya would never be to him what Enji had been to Rei. Tenya was no Katsuki either, with issues and burdens.

So at least he wouldn't have to worry about one of his children.

"But Shouto told me he isn't in love with anyone," Enji suddenly realized with horror! His poor Tenya!

"That's why I advised Tenya to speak to him after the battle. We don't want them distracted by... Shouto's rejection. It will definitely hurt them both."

"So, Shouto will most likely say 'no'?" Now that was horrible. Tenya was a perfect boyfriend for his Shouto, for anyone, and Enji would prefer if this anyone would be one of his kids. They deserved perfect boyfriends.

"I mean- I don't know, love. He certainly isn't in love with Tenya, or anyone. But then again he is so ready for falling in love. All those fluff romance stories he's reading and writing-"

"He is writing romance stories?"

"I have never told you that, understood? Or else he will never speak to me again."

"I want to read them," pouted Enji again. "I want to support him. I'll like them and comment and-"

"Enji, the last thing a kid writing romance stories wants for their parents to read them, love."

Enji pouted some more.

"So, there is a chance," said Hawks. "Who knows, maybe Shouto'll have a revelation."

"I hope," sighed Enji. "I'm sure Tenya would be a wonderful boyfriend."

"Unlike Katsuki?"

"Stop ruining my mood," grumbled Enji.