It was an incredibly rare day.
"Aaaah, it all smells so heavenly!" Hawks exclaimed happily. "Your daughter is not only of angelic beauty and heart, but cooking abilities as well!"
"She is not interested."
"Ah, so it is sexual harassment when he does that to your daughter?" said Aizawa flatly, sending a judgemental look at Hawks while slicing meat for sashimi, following carefully Fuyumi's instructions.
"I never said that," protested Enji, cutting ingredients for the salad, also under Fuyumi's careful scrutiny.
"It's a wonderful compliment, thank you," Fuyumi smiled at Hawks. Hawks beamed back at her. Aizawa just shook his head. "You're hopeless, Number Three."
"Ah, yes, I am indeed hopeless. I used to be hopeful, but then Endeavor-san told me he doesn't love me back."
Aizawa turned back to Enji. "I don't know how you cope with this."
"Well, I don't know how you cope with Present Mic and Midnight."
"Fair."
"I love Midnight! We both often take part in Nights with Hero-"
Everyone started to cough loudly and Enji unceremoniously kicked Hawks in his ankle.
"There are teenagers here!" he hissed. The three mentioned teenagers looked unimpressed, not even pink. Did it mean they were still too innocent to be listening to podcasts about sex? Or, on the contrary, they were already on the level where they weren't embarrassed anymore? No, they were merely fourteen, they certainly were still too innocent, decided Enji. More of a reason to make Hawks shut up.
"Oh, Endeavor-san, don't be ridiculous! One look at your Shouto and you know there is a queue of boys and girls trailing behind him!"
"There is?" asked Shouto, dumbfounded.
Hawks gave the boy a particularly appraising look before sighing. "I knew it," he said quietly. "The most beautiful ones always have to be asexual and aromantic."
"Thank you," said Aizawa, to Tensei's grin.
"I'm not aromantic and you spew bullshit about my beauty all the time," murmured Enji back, just because.
"Well, what can I say, Endeavor-san, love is blind."
Enji rolled his eyes.
"Looks like everyone in Chigira-san's family is particularly gifted in something," Tensei meanwhile smiled at Fuyumi as he removed one of the cats off the table - to the cat's obvious indignation - and got back to cleaning shrimps.
"Obviously." Untenmaru preened as if it was all thanks to him.
"Oh, this is nothing much," protested Fuyumi while preparing gyoza.
"Not true. Sis cooks better than cooks in restaurants."
Tenya and Izuku started to nod fervently while Untenmaru looked at her proudly. Recently Fuyumi started to visit Enji on Sundays rather than Saturdays, which meant they all could eat her amazing food after training. It also meant Shouto staying with them for dinner, making one of Enji's little dreams partly come true – to have dinners with his kids. Well, Natsuo was still absent, ten years almost passed and he still never contacted Enji.
He sighed and shook the sadness away. Today was special – for the first time all his friends and significant part of his family had the same day off and decided to spend it at Enji's place. Despite what people might have thought of Enji, he was an extravert by nature, something his therapist had surprised him about, and he reveled in being surrounded with people he liked, even if he never was best in interacting.
"True, Fuyumi-neechan's cooking is incomparable, the choice of herbs, the perfectly balanced spices, the contrast in textures, the only best quality ingredients! It's poetry!" Izuku exclaimed happily.
"You don't read poetry," noticed his Shouto.
"It's an expression, Shouto-nii."
"I can think of another thing that is poetry," Hawks said lightly.
"Please don't," said Enji, Aizawa and Untenmaru immediately.
"I am glad we all know what I'm thinking about!"
"You only think about one thing," grumbled Aizawa.
"You don't think about it at all, so someone has to keep the balance."
"Why are you so quiet, Yagi-san?"
All Might, well, Yagi, Enji had to keep his concentration up not to let his tongue slip, since not everyone here knew Number One's true identity, startled.
"He is too busy eating ingredients," Enji said. Those who didn't know Yagi was All Might looked curiously at Enji and his biting tone. He hoped they would put it down to the fact Yagi supposedly worked closely with All Might.
"Well, the temptation is too big to fight off," admitted All Might, a little embarrassed.
"You had a stomach surgery, right, Yagi-san?" Of course Izuku would come to All Might's rescue. "I've read you need to eat very often."
"True," admitted All Might.
Damn, Enji didn't know. He had just assumed one had to eat minced food or something, without a stomach, which apparently wasn't true. He felt a little guilty now for pointing at All Might like that. He remembered what he had learned at his therapy – own up when you fucked up (well, the therapist might have put it in a more dignified words). "Sorry," he mumbled.
"Ah, it's okay," smiled All Might. "I'm not going to starve if I don't eat for an hour, but those smells are simply impossible to say no to. Your daughter is truly an amazing cook, young Todoroki is right.'
Shouto looked as proud as if he was being praised himself. "Sis is the best. Nothing tastes the same after you have tried her food."
With food ready, they have moved to the dining room, careful not to trip over a horde of cats meowing incessantly as if they hadn't been just stuffed by everyone with premium class sashimi meat. Even Hawks' feathers could not distract that bunch of little beggars and thieves.
"So, how is working with principal Nezu, Yagi-san?" asked Hawks lightly.
"Ah," All Might, of course, got nervous, obviously aware that he was treading on dangerous, classified territory. "He is not only a great employer but a good friend too. The best kind of boss you can have."
"Better than All Might?" asked Hawks, the little nefarious brat. Enji totally approved.
All Might turned a little pinkish with stress. Aizawa looked beyond himself with joy for some reason. Maybe they should start their own little club of All Might torture fans.
"Uh, well, I really like All Might, I can't say I can be objective."
"He definitely doesn't take good care of his employees. You look like you're overworking yourself to near death state despite your condition," Enji fired his gun. Aizawa smirked before meeting Enji's eyes and silently remembering he was the last person to comment on that particular topic.
"That's not true!" All Might protested. "I have always loved working with heroes and I just can't imagine myself resting at home, doing nothing!"
"I don't see anything wrong in that," his Izuku protested too and withered a little under Enji's look.
"Self. Care. Is. Unbelievably. Important. In. A. Hero's. Job," he drawled, frying All Might, Izuku, and Aizawa with his glare. At least they had the decency not to argue any further.
"Mmm, Endeavor-san is such a caring, perfect man."
His Shouto made a face, while Izuku grinned warmly at Hawks. Two sides of the same coin, thought Enji.
"So how are your lessons with All Might?" asked Aizawa, a certified asshole, glancing lightly at mortified All Might. Enji had chosen the best of the best to be his friends, he always knew that.
"He is the best!" assured everyone Izuku. All Might smiled at him gratefully.
"Better than me?"
There fell a nervous pause. Fuyumi started to giggle into her juice.
"Well at least he isn't terrorizing people," deadpanned Shouto, ever the most honest boy in the world.
"The world outside is a terror. You'd better get used to it," shrugged Aizawa.
"The world outside is dangerous and All Might makes sure we remember that," Izuku protested, All Might's self proclaimed protector, as always, apparently completely forgiving and forgetting his sixth birthday.
"And how dangerous are lessons with All Might exactly?" asked Enji very lightly. There appeared actual terror on All Might's face.
"I think we learn very valuable things from lessons of every sensei we have," stated Tenya, the class representative, a person most used to dealing with conflicts among people.
"I suppose even the bad example is an example," continued Aizawa mercilessly. Now All Might looked very guilty. Izuku of course noticed this and actually dared to glare at Aizawa, which looked a lot like you were being threatened by an emerald fluffy bunny. "I don't think any teacher in our school is a bad example. We are very fortunate to have a chance to learn at Yuuei. Principal Nezu choses only the best." Tenya nodded fervently to every word.
Aizawa hid a small smile with his cup of cof-
"What the hell are you drinking?"
There fell a curious silence. Well, curious for the most part, since Izuku, Untenmaru and Hawks knew well what was coming.
Aizawa glared at Enji, daring him to continue. Tough luck, Enji was many things but a coward he was not.
"You. Have. A patrol. Tonight. And lessons tomorrow."
Aizawa rolled his eyes. "I have slept in the morning, for your information, Mister Mother Hen."
"What, like two hours?"
"More," Aizawa spat back.
"It doesn't matter," Aizawa was a fool if he could think anything could stop Enji from protecting people from themselves. "I have seen you up and awake from 2 PM, and you have lessons until 2 PM tomorrow, which will make 24 hours without sleeping, so-"
"24 hours is a rookie number," Aizawa made a huge mistake.
"Ah," said Izuku.
"Yep, these were the wrongest words to choose, Eraser Head," agreed Hawks.
"I understand," said Enji lightly. "You want to die on my kids. You were supposed to be there with them until they graduate from Yuuei, but you still elect to indulge your self destructive-"
"Enough, Endeavor," growled Aizawa. People around were doing their best not to chuckle, only All Might stared in disbelief at Enji's bravery. Speaking of which...
"Or do you want to end up like Yagi-san here, being a half man half skeleton?"
"Dad, that's really not nice!"
Bull's eye. Aizawa put his coffee away looking at Enji with disgust mixed in equal parts with irritation. But he did put his coffee away. Enji's win. He made a mental note to use All Might argument everytime he wanted to convince Aizawa to do something.
"Not everyone's your kid, you forget," said Aizawa just to have the last word and Enji let him have it to sweeten the defeat.
"Well, Aizawa-sensei is often barely awake during our lessons," Izuku decided it was a payback time for that comment about All Might being a bad example.
"I'm awake enough, worry not. You and your class would awaken a dead man with your brilliant ideas."
"I am doing my best!" protested Tenya indignantly.
"I felt sorry for you from the moment you became the class representative," admitted Shouto.
"Is it that bad?" Fuyumi asked Aizawa, a fellow teacher's curiosity visible in her eyes.
"You've got no idea."
"That's not true. They're just teenagers," said Yagi. "There is nothing wrong with them being full of energy and inquisitiveness; besides they are very good students."
"Yes, especially Ashido."
"Ashido-kun has amazing people skills. She will do great in rescue!" replied All Might. Fuyumi smiled at him; she, also, was a teacher who would praise every student she had.
"Two types of teachers, huh?" smiled Tensei.
"Meaning?" asked Aizawa in a threatening voice.
Everyone started laughing and Enji felt happiness filling him to the brink. He could live like that. What an irony was that a man like him, who really wanted to have friends and family, had to be so socially stunted? Well, you couldn't have everything in your life, apparently.
"There are many beautiful views in this world, but Endeavor-san smiling like that beats them all."
"I'm not smiling. Everyone knows I never smile," lied Enji blatantly, to even more laughter. Hawks grinned with so genuine happiness at Enji that Enji almost forgot for a moment how much of an annoying brat the Wing Hero could be.
They were sitting like that together, stroking cats, discussing teaching, youngsters nowadays (to the youngsters' amusement), cultural works, hero gossip, cooking, traveling, PR, new merchandise, and the time flew by in the best way possible. Finally Enji noticed Aizawa stifling down a yawn.
"Aizawa."
Aizawa glared at him.
Enji leaned towards the man. "You're going to do it with dignity or without one, it is entirely up to you."
"You have no right-"
Enji stood up.
"You shall pay for this," murmured Aizawa, but he got up obediently too, knowing fully well what Enji was capable of. "I am afraid I have to leave you and get some rest or else this madman is going to rope me to the bed."
Hawks gasped. "Eraser Head! You must teach me your ways!"
Aizawa just pierced him with a glare, receiving an impudent grin.
"For the record, I have never ever roped anyone to any bed."
"You did threaten me with that, Endeavor."
Enji shrugged. "Logical ruse."
The boys started to giggle, even Shouto uttered the quietest of chuckles. At Enji's joke. Shouto laughed at Enji's joke. He'd never forget this day to the end of his life!
"Shame Shouta has a patrol today," Tensei sighed as Aizawa left for one of the empty rooms in servants' house, which now served as a home for Untenmaru and a guesthouse of sorts since Untenmaru did not mind.
"He's overworking himself," replied Enji gloomily. He was fighting about it with Aizawa whenever he had a chance, but the man was so stubborn. One would think a logical and level headed adult like Aizawa would know better.
"Well-" started All Might.
"Don't you even say a word, Yagi-san, about the topic."
"Chigira-san is absolutely right," chimed in Tenya, the best boy in the world, right after Enji's sons. "We cannot afford to be tired or distracted when saving people!"
"Sometimes it is unavoidable," his Izuku dared to protest.
"Sometimes, yes. Sometimes," replied Enji. "When there is no other option."
"Chigira-san is right. A hero needs to take proper care of themselves," agreed Tensei with Untenmaru's and Fuyumi's nodding.
There was a small frown on Izuku's face and Enji knew they would have to talk about it again. And have some words with All Might too, since Izuku apparently decided driving yourself to a skeletal state was what was expected of a good hero.
"Speaking of which, how is Scarecrow? All Might is in touch with American heroes, right?"
Yagi nodded. "He is recovering, he..."
Slowly the discussion divided them in two groups, youngsters grouping themselves around Izuku's phone, watching and commenting some trailers, while the adults moved onto the ever resurrecting antiquirk sects in Amerika, the topic that made Enji's blood boil, since it was these kind of zealous idiots that had murdered Sparkle.
"I actually have it on my computer, dad bought me it!" Izuku's words brought his attention to kids.
"Well, let's-" Shouto hesitated.
Enji immediately spotted a chance to show he was a Good Dad (tm) now. "You can go to Izuku's room. You don't have to stay with us old people."
Shouto hesitated and glanced at the watch. It was slowly getting late. "I probably should go back," he said with visible lack of enthusiasm for the idea.
"Well, it still is your house, Shouto," said Enji quietly. "You could stay over."
Shouto was still hesitant. Enji wondered how tough it was for his boy to even think of sleeping again in Enji's house.
"Tenya-kun is staying over, too!"
"You are?"
"Yes. So is my niichan. I am going to go to Yuuei straight from here."
"I don't have any clothes or school things..."
"You can wear my clothes, Shouto-kun. I have some clean spares here."
"And I can drive you to your home in the morning to take school things, Shouto-sama," added Untenmaru.
"I have told you to stop calling me -sama, Kurumada-san."
"The matter is not open for discussion, Shouto-sama."
"Well, then, I guess..."
"Your room is intact," added Enji. "That is, if you want to use it."
Shouto gave him a look that was definitely weird.
"I've told you, Shouto," smiled Fuyumi.
"It's a five-year-old's room, old man."
Ah. True.
"Still, the futon is big enough."
Shouto looked at Fuyumi. "Mum won't have anything against it, Shouto. I'll call her."
Shouto shrugged. "Well then."
"Okay, come on, Shouto-nii, Tenya-kun!" The boys rushed out to Izuku's room.
"Ah, finally we can talk about adult topics!" grinned Hawks.
Enji yawned, before he could stop himself. All Might dared to chuckle. "It would be only fair to Aizawa-san if you went to bed too, Endeavor-san."
"You do look tired," admitted Fuyumi.
"Oh, no!" protested Hawks.
"You're barely back from the US, right? And then you took part in the failed ambush on Hero Killer?"
"Yeah," he nodded to Tensei. "I haven't had proper sleep for several days."
"The Americans have this saying about a kettle a-"
"Yagi-san," Enji glared and almost yawned again.
"That's it, dad, off you go to sleep. You don't want to fall asleep on us like some grandpa."
"Aw, that would be the cutest sight!"
"Fuyumi, I'm the host, I'm not-"
"Off you go, dad. We'll be quiet."
"I'll go to one of the bedrooms in Untenmaru's house. You relax and make all the noise you want. I leave the kids to you."
"If you sleep in the other building, can I sleep in your bedroom, Endeavor-san, pretty pleeaaaase!"
"Absolutely not."
He bid his goodnights to everyone and headed towards the quiet small house not far from the main building. He was just finishing changing into his sleeping yukata when he heard the ringtone set for Sparkle's mom.
True, it was time for their everyday checking up.
"Hello, mom." He had started to call Sparkle's mom that years ago, on Sparkle's gentle insistence. He should have gotten used to it, but the word always felt somewhat unnatural but at the same time precious and sacred on his tongue. To call 'mother' a person who did not treat him like a shit, who were not making him feel like a villain, without feeling hatred and pain. He was grateful she wanted him to keep calling her that, even though her real son was gone, never coming back.
"How was your day, Enji?"
"Everyone happened to visit us at once. We ended up having a nice big dinner."
"No one there to spoil things?"
"No," he smiled. "I have good friends."
"I'm glad."
"Shame you don't live nearer."
"Can't leave my patients, Enji."
"I know that. You're a hero too."
He was sure she was smiling even if he couldn't hear her.
"Is that Enji-kun?" he heard grandma croak. "Tell Enji-kun it's been years since he had been here! He should get his ass down here more often!"
"Mum, he just visited us last month."
"Well it does feel like years! Tell him to retire already and move to Okinawa! You know people and food in Kantou are shit! And alcohol, don't even get me started on that!"
They all laughed.
"And how is Izuku?"
"He loves the Yuuei. He says he has amazing classmates. He is grinning all the time."
"Does he take proper caution with his Quirk?"
"Yes, I keep reminding him that, but it's mostly just in case. He is taking good care of himself, but I can see he is... influenced by some more self destructive heroes."
"Keep an eye on it, Enji."
"Of course."
"And Fuyumi-chan?"
"Still hasn't confessed to that girl."
"Girls used to be braver in my times," he heard grandma, who was obviously listening.
"It's not the times, it's Okinawa, mum. Fuyumi-chan is a Kantou girl."
Grandma sighed. "You people in Kantou should get a grip, really, Enji. If Heihachi hadn't confessed you two would never have been together."
"...I know."
"Tell your daughter to get a grip."
"Mum, stop it," he heard some more chuckling. "Have to go, Enji. I have a night shift in the hospital. Sleep well."
"Have a peaceful shift. Say goodnight to grandma."
888
Something touched his face, but he did not jerk. He had learned not to. Someone was in the room and he could not recognise their scent. Enji's Quirk prevented him from having any smell of his own – he didn't sweat, the bacteria on his body immediately died, the dirt would burn away -, so he was particularly sensitive to people's scents. This wasn't Izuku's shampoo or Tensei's aftershave or Aizawa's slight natural smell or Hawks' peculiar scent that came from the man's wings. It was a stranger. Which meant nothing good. And if they had gotten inside Enji's house, things were bad. Good they have chosen the night on which not only Endeavor, but All Might, Hawks and Eraser Head were all...
The dread filled him. He recalled the explosion that killed so many heroes, that killed his Sparkle.
"If I wanted them dead, they would be dead already," said a familiar, drawling voice.
Enji's eyes shot open, but he couldn't move. A figure crouched at his side, white-haired, in a worn tracksuit. He had seen the man before, back then, when All Might had told him about giving his son One for All, but he had forgotten!
'A mental Quirk,' he realized with horror. He tried to move again, to no avail, he couldn't even turn his head to see the man well, he couldn't speak, couldn't even activate his own Quirk! His heart was thundering, terrified; what if the man was one of those zealots, what if they all die, what if Izuku dies!
"Nah, I wouldn't kill myself," the villain's Quirk apparently was letting him read other people's minds when he had been using it on them. "There are far too many interesting games left to play."
So it was not a suicide bomber. So... did he come specifically for Endeavor? Enji badly hoped so; he'd gladly die as long as he knew Izuku was safe. The man tilted his head curiously, watching Enji for a moment and then said derisively, "Is that a safe thing to think, when you know I can read your mind? Maybe I'll kill him just to make you suffer?"
'If you wanted to do it, you'd have already done it, you said it yourself." Then it occurred to him. The villain had been there when All Might had been explaining the nature of OfA to Enji! He knew everything! Was he spying on All Might? On his Izuku?
"Ah, yes, I have the greatest interest in your son."
No.
Enji used all his strength, physical and mental, to try to break out of the power of this unknown Quirk. To no effect. FUCK.
"Why are you always assuming the worst?" murmured the man, one of his fingers trailing Enji's cheek. "Maybe I like your son? Maybe I want to be friends?"
So maybe it wasn't a villain. Maybe it was a madman. Some crazy fan of Endeavor. Enji did not know what was worse.
"Who is truly sane, Endeavor-san?" He added the suffix with some, inexplicable for Enji, amusement. "Certainly not people who decided to become heroes, don't you think?"
'What do you want?'
"Get to know you better. You know, you have always been my favorite hero. Meaning, I hated you least. I saw in your incessant anger that you were aware how bullshitty this world is. You used to hate it. And looked at you now. The little green brat made you so happy. Is this the end of Endeavor, the man who hated this society so much? You found your little stability and fuck changing the world?"
'You can't change the world,' Enji thought before he could stop himself. But you really couldn't. If you read history books, you saw it clearly.
"Oh, but I can," chuckled the man. "Tell me, have you ever heard of the theory of singularity?"
Yes, Enji did. Actually, there were many theories on the so-called singularity and the singularity Quirk, and one of them killed his Sparkle.
The man smiled. "Ah, yes. Some people are afraid that one day-" He paused, listening. "Ah, your son is almost here. I'm afraid you won't remember any of this."
'No, wait!'
But the man was gone. Was what Enji had seen only an illusion? If this was a mental Quirk it was entirely possible; it was entirely possible that-
Enji blinked.
Blinked again.
He could no longer recall what kind of nightmare had awoken him. Everything escaped him as dreams often did. But it must have been something dreadful since he still felt the terror pervading him to his very bones, his thoughts running in circles. It was about some sort of a villain with mental Quirk? This was what he was thinking about, just a second ago, freshly awakened. But he couldn't recall anything more.
Well, nightmares were nothing new when you were a hero, and especially when you were a hero with Enji's past.
The shouji creaked open. Enji was back on full alert, the remnants of the nightmare still haunting his mind. But he saw the emerald eyes and hair, and calmed down.
"Not sleeping, dad?"
"Just... thought I heard something."
"Sorry, it was probably me. Just came to say goodnight."
Enji smiled.
"Goodnight, love. How was your evening?"
Izuku's eyes widened with excitement. "It was so cool! I'm so glad Shouto-nii stayed over! We played My Heroes! And then Wipeout 12000! And Shouto-nii said he wants to adopt Shiro and Mimi, but he has to ask his mum, cause they have three cats already! And Tenya-kun said we should stay at each other's places more often! And I really love this, dad!"
And of course he was already hugging Enji. Yes, he was such a happy, lucky man, despite everything, Enji thought as he hugged his precious boy back.
888
Enji sighed. He was never a morning creature, so he sighed every day when the alarm went on. He blinked around and recalled it was the servants' house, not his bedroom. Right. He had had a nice Sunday with everyone. He smiled at the memory. He gave himself a short moment for stretching and got up, always the last person to delay starting a new day despite the temptation.
When he was decent, for some reason he decided to check up on everyone, make sure everything was fine, some anxiety pushing him to do it, a leftover of the nightmares, perhaps.
The bedroom adjacent to the one he slept in was quiet. He took a peek inside to see All Might curled up in the futon. The man looked sick and exhausted even during his sleep. Enji felt his good mood evaporating. He really needed to talk with the other man. He wasn't blind, he saw clear as day how much his Izuku had gotten to like All Might, and the truth was the affection was mutual. All Might brightened and softened whenever Izuku talked to him or even simply grin at him. Well, admittedly, Izuku had that effect on most, but All Might seemed particularly drawn to the boy. Enji had seen it distinctly during yesterday's dinner, the blond being surprisingly shy and self-conscious around everyone, obviously trying his hardest not to be a bother to anyone, but his eyes followed Enji's Izuku with almost fatherly tenderness. It made Enji wonder about All Might's family. Everyone knew the man kept a tight lid on that, but was that really the case? Maybe the man did not have any family, any lover. From the few conversations they had had Enji could see All Might was the epitome of self-sacrifice, so it made sense he could have decided against relationships, against having own children, in order to focus all his time and efforts on heroing. And now with his health declined, old age and retirement close... he probably had realized what he had forfeited. Or was it only Enji projecting his own needs onto All Might? He certainly could not imagine not having kids.
"Endeavor-san?"
He almost jerked. But it was to be expected that All Might would not be asleep. He was a Number One, it was a matter of course that he would notice someone opening the shouji to his bedroom.
"Good morning. Sorry for my creepy behavior. Just... felt like checking on everyone."
All Might smiled with understanding. "A hero thing."
"...yes."
Enji hesitated, but decided against talking with All Might now, with the man barely awakened.
"What is on your mind, Endeavor-san?"
"I have told you to stop calling me -san," grumbled Enji. "It's nothing. We can talk later."
"We will talk later about nothing?"
This man was so stubborn.
"It's okay, I was going to get up anyway. We can talk now, just the two of us."
Okay then.
"I know it is not my place to tell you how to live your life and how to take care of yourself."
"I take good care of myself. It is just-"
"Bullshit. Yesterday I saw you carry a goddamn bridge. You're pushing yourself to your limits."
All Might frowned. "Have you spoken... with Sir Nighteye?" There was some strain in his voice when he said his former sidekick's hero name.
"No. Why? Did he tell you you're going to kill yourself?"
All Might's eyes widened. ...What? Was that really the case? Holy shit. It was way worse than Enji had thought. He felt anger burning in his veins, emotions starting to take over. And the worst thing was he felt clearly he was in the right to be angry.
"Listen here, you blond asshole. My Izuku is going to be your successor, right? You are his mentor, right? I don't know if you're completely blind or socially inept, but my Izuku cares about you a lot, so you. Are. Going. To. Start. Caring. For yourself. Or I swear to everything I love you'll never see him again."
All Might stared at him for a moment, utterly lost for words.
"Endeavor-san. This is a hero's job. I have-"
"Alright, you're never seeing my Izuku again. Ever." He turned away.
"Endeavor, don't be ridiculous-"
Enji slammed the shouji for good measure and waited a little. The shouji opened to reveal the rather angry All Might.
"Endeavor. If I took better care of myself, young Bakugou would be dead, do you know that?"
What?
"I have already reached my limit when a boy was attacked by the sludge villain. I have already used up my Quirk's maximum time of use. Doing anything more was dangerous to my health and would degrade my further use of the Quirk. And then your boy attacked the villain. There was no other hero around. Should I have stayed put and watched them?"
Enji was quiet for a moment. "I'm not saying-" he finally said. "I understand there are situations when you have no choice..."
"The same thing was with the bridge."
Enji was again quiet.
"You'd do the same, Endeavor."
He would.
All Might smiled, previous anger gone. "I am taking good care of myself, Endeavor-san. I truly am. I really want to live as long as I can to keep training your boy. But you just... can't change some things. I won't be an example of health ever again, Endeavor-san. This is me and it won't get better."
Enji did not know what to say.
"I know I am going to die soon. Sir Nighteye told me that. I am sorry I am going to do this to your Izuku. But... There is just no other way. I won't stop saving people. I won't, Endeavor-san. We all can die any day. You too. You know that."
Enji let his eyes drop to the ground. He felt foolish now. He shouldn't have jumped to such hasty conclusions about All Might and treated him like a child needed to be scolded.
"Sorry," he murmured.
"I am not. I am very happy I have met your son. I will die happily knowing I could spend my last years training him. He is such a... light in everyone's eyes."
'And he'll be crying his eyes out when you die,' thought Enji grimly.
All Might kept smiling. "Don't be so grim, Endeavor-san. This is life. The best we can do is at least not add to its grimness with our own."
Enji sighed. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"Don't apologize for caring about me." All Might's smile was now so warm, almost as if he actually liked Enji.
"I care about Izuku," grumbled Enji.
"I know."
There was a pause.
"I'm gonna get dressed properly."
"Ah, right. See you at breakfast."
The shouji closed and Enji felt his cheeks burning. What was he thinking? What came to him to go and scold the very Number One? He was stupid. But whenever he looked at All Might, at those sunken eyes, the unhealthy looking skin, the skeletal build, the spatters of blood on his handkerchief... And whenever he saw his Izuku looking at All Might with so much care...
Enji sighed and went upstairs.
In the bedroom above All Might's slept Tensei. He smiled at the young man buried under the comforter, looking like the living antithesis of All Might – young, healthy, relaxed, smiling at his apparently pleasant dreams, unbothered by the fact someone was peeking inside like a stalker. This boy definitely had a healthy attitude towards life.
In the next bedroom he could hear Untenmaru moving about. He knocked lightly.
"Ah, Enji-sama, good morning. Please, excuse my state." What state? Untenmaru looked perfectly dressed and groomed, as always. "Anything you need from me?"
"Just saying good morning. Don't hesitate to join us for breakfast." It took quite a long time to convince Untenmaru the man should be eating with them, not alone, as 'servants should', and Enji still had to keep reminding him that when guests, even close ones, were over.
In the main house Fuyumi was, of course, already in the kitchen.
"Am gonna help you in a second, Fuyumi."
"Okay. I won't mind a lending hand, dad. I want to let the boys sleep a little more. I think they were up until dawn."
"You were supposed to look after them, Fuyumi," said Enji without any irritation in his voice. "They will be sleeping in class and I will never hear the end of it from Aizawa."
"From their stories Aizawa should fully empathize with people sleeping in school, dad."
Enji snorted lightly. "You have greetings from Okinawa. Grandma says you should stop being a Kantou girl and confess."
"Dad."
"Okay, okay."
He stopped by the boy's bedroom on the way to his. To his surprise, he found all three of them sleeping peacefully in a bundle of hands and legs on Izuku's bed, their positions - and controllers and phones all over the bed - suggesting they indeed tried to stay awake as long as possible before all of them finally lost the battle with drowsiness. They looked so much like little children like that, at least in Enji's eyes. He almost wanted to stop time and never let them grow up and become heroes, with all the burdens this job brought.
It was only when he opened the shouji to his bedroom he realized who was missing so far. Hawks was, of course, sprawled out on Enji's own bed, the shameless brat. Enji rolled his eyes and did his best to walk to his wardrobe as quietly as he could.
"I would like to fill in a complaint," he heard Hawks' voice.
"You're sleeping in my bedroom, even though I have explicitly told you not to, and you dare to complain?"
"Aw, Endeavor-san, it's not my fault I was the last person to go to sleep and only your bedroom was left!"
"And why were you the last person to go to sleep?"
Hawks grinned. "So that only your bedroom would be left."
Enji shook his head. The brat was truly beyond salvation.
"So, my complaint is there is not a trace of your scent here! I wanted to go to sleep lulled by it."
"'Lulled' to it, right. I have told you my Quirk prevents that."
"Aw, come on. Nothing? Nothing at all? Take the purple one."
Enji rolled his eyes again, but took out the purple suit.
"And a blue tie."
"This is going to clash so much."
"I think you'll look lovely."
"You're lucky I like you," grumbled Enji and took out the blue tie as well, ignoring Hawks gasping. He shed his yukata then and started to put the western clothes on, smirking as he could see in the corner of his eyes the symptoms of brain malfunction in Hawks. Finally the brat found his voice. "You are the kindest man in the world," he croaked. "The sweetest, the most understanding, the most charitable. I will never forget this day to the end of my life," he sniffled theatrically.
"It's not my problem you decided to sleep where I dress up," replied Enji flatly, but couldn't keep the little smile from his lips.
"I want to sleep here forever, Endeavor-san."
"Uh-huh. Get up and help Fuyumi with cooking breakfast."
"I could eat something else, E-"
"Hawks."
"You make me hard and then leave me be like-"
"I'm leaving," replied Enji.
"Don't wash those sheets, you will be dreaming about me tonight, Endeavor-san!"
"I'm not sleeping in sheets in which you did dirty things!"
"What dirty things?"
But Enji was already in the kitchen and wasn't going to continue this conversation in front of Fuyumi, and Untenmaru who also just came to help, and soon were followed by All Might too. The place immediately was filled with Fuyumi and Hawks' cheerful chatter and Enji felt happy again, wishing it could always be like that, with mornings filled with content people in his home, at his table.
"Are those Endeavor themed pajamas, Hawks?"
"Of course! They are as warm as Endeavor-san's Quirk!"
"I didn't know you had merchandise like that, dad."
"I don't."
"It was made especially for me. I paid a fortune for it. I would buy them again."
Enji sighed as Fuyumi chuckled.
"So, who has the duty of dragging the boys here?" asked Hawks when the breakfast was finally ready.
"I'll go. Fuyumi already had enough to do this morning," replied Enji.
All the boys were as deep asleep as before. It always made Enji feel guilty for pulling Izuku out of his dreams, but it couldn't be helped.
"Hey," he said rather quietly. "Hey, heroes. Yuuei awaits."
Tenya stirred. And then he shot his eyes wide and sat up in half a second throwing a controller onto the floor.
"We're late!" he exclaimed, waking Izuku who yawned widely and stretched..
"No, you're not. But it is high time to get up if you want to eat breakfast and manage to drop by Shouto's home."
"Ah, of course! Ah, right! Good morning, Chigira-san!"
"Good morning," smiled Enji.
"Morning, dad," yawned Izuku again, far less energetic than Tenya. Enji sympathised. Shouto was still deep asleep.
"Shouto-kun! Shouto-kun!"
Shouto merely turned on his other side and buried his face in the pillow.
"Shouto-nii, we have to get up."
"You're a bunch of madmen," mumbled Shouto.
"Shouto-kun, it's already six! We'll be late."
"When do we leave?"
"At seven," answered Enji.
"I still have half an hour then."
"You can't go to lessons without breakfast!" Tenya scolded, to Enji's wholehearted approval.
"I'll eat in the car," mumbled Shouto back and created a solid ice wall between himself and the boys.
"Shouto, we're eating breakfast together," they all heard Fuyumi's voice.
"Sis-"
"Out of the bed. Now."
They all stared at Fuyumi thoroughly impressed as Shouto got up, thawing the ice in the meantime.
"Look, you flooded the floor."
"Sorry," the boy mumbled.
"It's okay," replied Enji and Izuku in unison.
"No, it isn't," said Fuyumi sternly.
"This is madness," murmured Shouto very quietly as he looked again at the clock.
888
Additional scene
888
It was only when he fell into his bed, tired after his second shift that actually extended past midnight, did he realize he hadn't thrown the sheets in the washing machine. Now Hawks' peculiar scent was everywhere. Enji again tried his best to recall where he had known it from. Ever since Hawks started spending time with Enji, it had been bothering him. The smell reminded him of his childhood, but of something good; it was calming and relaxing. Which made little sense since his childhood wasn't particularly calm nor relaxing. Once he had asked Hawks about it, and it had been one of those rare moments when Hawks went irritated, displeased.
"It's the preen oil," he replied shortly, visibly nettled. "It's a natural scent. Nothing wrong with natural scents."
Ah, so even Hawks had his insecurities, Enji had thought back then. He had assured the young hero he actually liked the scent and simply tried to figure out why. He remembered the look of disbelief on Hawks' face, and he had felt very pleased with himself, that he, Enji, the walking insecurity, had been able to make a man as confident as Hawks feel at least a little bit better about his body. Still, they have never figured out where Enji could have had contact with it. Enji never had birds, and had never met anyone with a bird mutation Quirk. Maybe it was some chemical that was both in preen oil and something else, something Enji could not recall.
Now, that he was laying in his bed he felt he was closer than ever, almost grasping the memory, as if it was just at the verge of his consciousness. Had his pillows been made out of feathers, back then? Cause he'd swear it had something to do with bed, sleeping... Enji wasn't sure. It was irritating not to know.
When he finally fell asleep, he dreamed that he was a little kid again, buried in someone's great wings.
Notes:
I just wanted a chapter full of family fluff or sth. And some creepy stalkiness.