"Toshi and Izu, I need you in the kitchen please!" Hizashi's voice raised up to be heard over the deafening TV in the living room when he turned his attention back to the roiling pasta before him. The water burbling and rolling gently as he stirred the pasta when he caught the sound of thudding feet padding along the floor towards him. He glanced over to find Hitoshi and Izuku rushing down the hall on socked feet that had him slipping slightly as they rushed into the kitchen.

Green and purple eyes respectfully shimmering with curiosity when Hitoshi padded forward across the kitchen towards him where small hands reached out. Twisting into his sweater as small feet them pressed to his foot and climbed up as Hitoshi clung to his waist. Izuku watched his brother before padding over himself with his small hand reaching out to twist into his sweater. Climbing up onto his left foot as he smiled down at them. "What's up, Dad?"

It nearly had him busting out laughing at the casual way Hitoshi spoke to him with his head tilted back. Heads resting against his sides as hands held onto him. It was honestly the sweetest thing in the world when he placed the steaming spoon down and he ran his hands over green curls. Wild indigo locks. "I wanted to talk to you both about something very important to me. You remember Mister Aizawa, don't you?"

"Of course we do! He used to come 'round with his baby all the time!" Izuku chirped up at him when he brushed green curls off of his son's forehead gently when he felt his casted arm pressing to his back. Fingers holding onto his sweater when Izuku's head tilted slightly with a curious gleam to those eyes of his. "Is Mister Aizawa coming over to eat dinner with us? Is that why you were running around and trying to clean up the house again? Is that why we're having chicken parmesan and pasta?"

"Yes and no! I think you two need variety in your foods which is why we're doing something not so traditional!" He then tweaked Hitoshi's nose then Izuku's which had them scrunching up adorably with giggles spilling out of both children as arms tightened around his waist and he smiled down at the cheerful boys. "Anyhow, I invited Mister Aizawa over for dinner and his baby is coming with him! So I want the two of you on your best behavior for me, okay?"

"But why? We always behave!" Hitoshi perked up with his head pressing against his side as those purple eyes widened at him. Looking for all the world like the sweetest child; it was a look he recognized all too well on his sons. He raised his brows at the child clinging to him when Hitoshi pursed his lips into a slight pout that had him grinning at the child. "We do! We're the best kids anyone could ever ask for! You told Grandma that the last time that we went over to visit!"

"You did, Dad, I heard it! We both did!" It was honestly so sweet to see Izuku backing up his brother when he ran his hands over their hair again. Ruffling it gently. He had indeed said it to his mothers but he hadn't been aware that the boys had heard him saying it. Not that it mattered if they did or didn't, he found it quite adorable they used his words against him when he ruffled their hair again. "We're the bestest kids ever! And we always behave! But Dad, how come we gotta behave tonight?"

"Yeah! Is Mister Aizawa your boyfriend or somethin'? That's what Zu is to Ochako! They're dating and she says that Izuku is her boyfriend now because they shared a juice box during lunch time! Did you share a juice with Mister Aizawa, Dad? Is that why?" It was so innocent the way Hitoshi questioned him while Izuku turned red and glared at his brother. Giving him a proper evil eye but it merely had him laughing softly when he gently gave his sons noogies.

"We didn't share a juice box but I am dating him now which is something I've been wanting to tell you both." He looked to the pot, waddling backwards away from the stove before gently tugging arms from around his waist to squat down to their level. Meeting their eyes one at a time when small hands slipped into his own. Squeezing them gently. "Mister Aizawa and I have been dating for a week now. And I want you to be polite to him, okay? I want you both on your best behavior tonight. Can you do that for me?"

Izuku looked to Hitoshi, purple eyes flicking to the green-haired child when small hands tightened on his fingers. They shared a solemn look between them before they were turning back to him with no sign of a pout on lips. No sparkling mischief. Instead, little fingers were touching his cheeks with the hands in his squeezing gently when Hitoshi nodded at him. "We'll be real good for you, Dad! But that's so cool that Mister Aizawa is your boyfriend! It's super duper cool!"

"Yeah! Especially since you had a crush on him! Is he gonna come around more often, Dad? Because I wanna play in the snow with him too before it's all gone!" Izuku's fingers tickled his cheek, much like Hitoshi's, when the green-haired boy then smiled at him with all the light in the world. A sweet, warm smile that had his stomach fluttering wildly when he squeezed their little hands. Rubbing his thumbs over their knuckles when Hitoshi smiled. "We'll be the best for you and Mister Aizawa! We promise, Dad!"

"That's all I need from the two of you!" He then used his hold on their hands to tug him into his arms where he hugged both boys to his chest. They squirmed and wriggled before fitting comfortably in his arms as he squeezed them close with heads tucking beneath his chin with happy hums leaving the boys who clung onto him as he squeezed them gently. "Are the two of you okay with me dating Mister Aizawa? I know it's a sudden change, but it's been coming for a while, and I want to make sure you both are comfortable with that."

There was a wriggle from Hitoshi when fingers twisted into his sweater when a soft hum left the indigo-haired child in his arms. An identical sound left Izuku when he tightened his arms around them in response only to feel Hitoshi shifting as he pulled back. He let his son shift back when he met those rather solemn purple eyes when a small raised up to touch his cheek. "If it makes you happy, Dad, then it'll all be okay, right? Because you deserve to be happy too!"

"Yeah, you do! If you wanna be with Mister Aizawa then that's okay!" Izuku raised his own head up with a smile on his lips when another small hand touched his left cheek much like the one on his cheek. Petting lightly when the green-haired child then shifted before touching his jaw with a light tap on it. A playful actin that had him smiling at his son when he wriggled in his arms. "Like you said, Dad, it's a change! And like Grandma and Grams say we gotta adapt to change sooner or later!"

"Your grandmothers' are giving you sage advice already?" He replied playfully when he tightened his arms around the boys to squeeze them to his chest once again despite their protesting whines as he hugged tightly. Squeezing them tightly. It was a relief. While they may not understand it properly, he was more than relieved to at least tell his children about the change. "You two are the best, most important thing in my life, you know that? You are the best kids in the world!"

"Of course we are! We're your kids!" Hitoshi sniped playfully, cattily, and it had him grinning when he danced his hands up and down their sides which had them writhing in his arms with laughter burst out of them. Loud. Bouncing off of the walls, almost too loud for his hearing aids, when they pushed at his arms that he tightened. Holding them in place when Izuku squealed, and Hitoshi tried to rip himself free with a shriek of laughter. "Dad, stop it! Stop it! You're being a butt face!"

"You're the butt face!" He growled back playfully when he let Hitoshi rip himself out of his arm with another peal of laughter leaving the boy who then ran across the kitchen to the doorway when he hugged Izuku to his chest. Bending his head down, he blew a raspberry on the side of his neck which had the boy arching in his arms and squirming with a screech of laughter. Bucking and pushing at his shoulders when he let him go to which he ran across the kitchen. "Get going! I'll let you know when dinner's done!"

He chuckled softly as they raced down the hallway together much like they had when he had called for them initially with shrieks of delight. Squatting there with his arms draped over his knees, he couldn't help but find the interaction adorable. Sweet even. Pushing himself up out of his squat with a quiet grunt to himself, he turned his attention back to the stove where the water was roiling gently. Insistently.

He hummed softly when he picked up his spoon again to stir the noodles in the pot. The heat radiating off of the stove fought off the chill in the room; a chill that refused to dissipate no matter what he put the heat on. Like there was a window opened up that he hadn't been aware of. He couldn't wait for winter to be over with; they had the rest of February to live through the March. He was crossing his fingers that spring came for them quickly and swiftly.

That the rain showers would come to wash the snow away and leave them free of it. It would take a bit but God if he didn't hope that Spring didn't come early for them. Stirring the noodles before him, he gently tapped his spoon on the side of the pot before placing it back down again. Eyeing the small pot he had out with a jar of sauce in it that he needed to heat up for the pasta. He rolled his head side to side with his neck popping, cracking, lightly.

Then he followed it with a roll of his shoulders. Sighing out softly to himself when he then drummed his hands on the edge of the counter with his eyes going to the clock. It was only five thirty-six, but Shouta promised to be there at six. It was a bit of a late dinner, but he didn't mind it in the slightest bit. They'd had dinner far, far later than this. This would be no big deal to have dinner at six o'clock at night.

Humming softly to himself, with his fingers drumming on the edge of the counter lightly when his gaze flicked to his silent phone sitting on the counter. His heart stumbling over its beats when he tore his gaze away from it with a low sigh to himself as he then lifted his hands up. Tugging the hair tie from around his wrist to reach up and scrape his hair back; tugging it up into a ponytail.

It felt nice having the heavy weight of his hair pulled off of his neck as cool air attacked the nape of his neck. Scraping his hair into that ponytail, he tightened it then felt a lock of hair slip forward to touch his cheek which he tucked behind his ear. He swallowed down a yawn that was trying it's best to crawl up his throat and bubble out of him; it was hard, but he forced it down with his lips pinching tightly together in response.

His jaw trembling when his eyes squeezed shut briefly with that yawn trapped in his throat before he sighed out with his fingers reaching up to touch his earlobe. Slipping the tip of his finger into the hoop of his second piercing hole. Tugging gently at it with an absentminded manner when he listened to the boys' shriek with delight in the living room. The booming laughter on the TV screen that had him glancing over at the hallway instinctively.

Smiling softly to himself, he spun on his feet to walk to the fridge where he tugged open the door with a sucking pull of the door. Tugging it open, he reached in for a bottle of apple juice that he'd grabbed at the store earlier today to prepare for snack time when he hosted the playdates for his sons the following day. He was going to be looking after a whole gaggle of kids and it was better to be prepared for lunch, afternoon snacks, and possibly dinner.

He just hoped he had enough dining room chairs for all the kids. He had agreed weeks ago to take on the playdate this time round and he was happy to be at least prepared for tomorrow. He was as prepared as he could be for six rugrats to be running around his house. He smiled softly as he shut the fridge door then twisted the cap of his apple juice to crack it open. Tugging the cap off, he lifted it up and took a long pull at the small bottom before lowering it.

Swiping at his lips to remove the liquid that clung to them instinctively when he padded back over to the stove where he placed his drink down to grab the pot. He lifted it up then placed it on the burner next to the softly boiling pot of pasta when he tugged the jar out of the pot. Twisting at the cap until it was popping off of the jar to which he dumped the contents into the pot. He hummed softly as he fiddled with the burners temperature before stepping over for the spice cabinet where he grabbed his spices.

Adobo, cayenne, paprika, garlic and onion powder. Stepping back to the stove, he placed his arm full of spices down and began to uncap them one at a time as he sprinkled it over the sauce. Making quick work of it, he grabbed a new spoon to stir the sauce up once he had the spices poured into the sauce. He then scooped his spices up again then stepped over to the cabinet, opening it up, and tossing the bottles onto the shelf gently while they wobbled.

He then shut the cabinet door with another hum to himself before he was turning his attention to the pasta to give it a stir while the sauce heated up. He then bent over to grab the handle of the oven, and he opened it slightly only to have heat blast his face in response. Frying his eyes slightly with the heat that had him blinking frantically, he stared in at the five chicken thighs he had stretched out on the pan inside.

Coated evenly in breadcrumbs, having been seared on the pan for a bit, he looked in at the tenders he was making with a soft hum. He'd have to get sauce and cheese on it to melt on them before Shouta showed up. Closing the door again with a light thud, he then stirred the sauce again before tapping the spoon off on the side of the pot gently. He then placed the spoon down with his head rolling back with his ponytail sliding down his back slightly.

He wasn't ready for the playdate, but he knew it was simply because he hadn't had much to himself lately. Either his time was spent at his store, with Taishiro, Nemuri, and Oboro, his kids or Shouta. He was consistently busy with someone always being right there for him to talk too. He was hardly alone for a moment, but he knew that tomorrow would fly by in the blink of an eye. He didn't mind watching the group of kids if it meant that Hitoshi and Izuku could develop good social skills.

If it made them happy. After all, they always played in the basement which he was so glad he converted into a playroom for the children. They hardly spent much time upstairs and gentle reminders on inside voices always worked. For six-year old's, they were all rather polite. They listened very well which he adored more than anything. He could handle looking after some rugrats for an afternoon.

After all, he wanted to be a good friend to his mom group; he was just as close to them as he was to Taishiro. They were his friends; it was nice having parent friends like this. Even if it was mostly with the mothers of the families, it was still nice being able to sit down and know they'd be willing to listen to him. That they'd be willing to listen to him talk to them no matter what he had to say. It was nice. Having this big network of friends that he kept up to date on everything.

Friends who cared about him and who wanted nothing but his well-being in mind. Lifting his head up when his phone vibrated, he shuffled over to scoop the device off of the counter. He found a text from Nemuri waiting for him as he lifted his apple juice up to gulp at again. He placed the bottle down, unlocked his phone, and he sent back a text to her. A short one but he knew that she'd be more than happy getting any texts.

He really wanted to spend time with Nemuri and Oboro again; without the drinking this time round. They didn't always drink together but he couldn't deny the past two times they'd done nothing but drink together and he didn't want every time to be like that. He wanted a sober hang out session with the couple which, if he insisted on it, he knew they'd be okay with. He just wanted to spend time with his friends.

He'd been so wrapped up in Shouta over the past week that he felt like he hadn't seen them in some time. Shouta. Oh, he was a whole different topic of himself. It had only been a week since they decided to date, and the black-haired man officially became his boyfriend. It still made his cheeks warm to consider Shouta his boyfriend; it was like a rush in his chest. A wave of emotion that refused to be ignored that left him choked up.

Left him gasping for air after riding a wave. There was something so very exciting, exhilarating, about Shouta being his boyfriend. Something about it just felt right. He'd been spending months crushing on Shouta and now? Now he could say confidently that in those small, little ways he was falling harder for Shouta. He wasn't what he'd say to be in love but God if he wasn't falling slowly.

Over the past four weeks, he'd say that their sexual relationship had long since been established. From that first fight, they'd had their hands on one another. Desperate lips crushing together. Hips that rutted together. The way he got so wet over the man and Shouta got so damn hard. How they had to be close, close, close with hands pulling at one another. Wanting to drag the other closer with breaths intermingling.

There was a fire, a heat, between them that he'd be a fool not to notice. A fool not to acknowledge. He was sure that this fire between them blazed hotter each time they did something sexual together. And as much as he loved that heat, that fire, that desire and lust, he wanted to know Shouta on a personal level. They'd spent seven months constantly with one another, but he wanted to continue on that way.

He wanted to talk to Shouta about the blue of the sky or the snowflakes fluttering past his window and what he thought of them. He wanted to complain about the snippier customers he dealt with, and he wanted to hear Shouta complain about work. He wanted to talk to Shouta openly anyway that he could so he could begin to get an understanding of how his mind worked. He wanted nothing more than for the black-haired man to simply talk to him.

And his boyfriend seemed to understand; after giving Shouta a blowjob, after letting Shouta touch him afterwards, both decided to take a step back from sex. At least long enough for him to recuperate from the consistent sex they'd been having. It was more sex than he'd had in years and his body needed time to get used to that. He was more than happy, however, when Shouta was walking into his shop for them to have lunch together where they'd devour their food.

In his office where he was dragged onto Shouta's lap with arms wrapped tight around his waist and giggles tearing out of him. Kissing at Shouta's face before those full lips pressed to his own. The quiet, gentle conversations shared after those sweet kisses. The regret when Shouta had to return to work. He felt quite spoiled when it came to Shouta's attention; they'd only been dating a week, and he already wanted his attention. His time.

But he knew he had to be patient for it; after all, both were single parents with demanding children. With work. But he found himself longing for the black-haired man when he woke in the mornings. A longing that was soothed when the black-haired man would show up with lunch to join him in his office. There was nothing he adored more than spending his lunch breaks with Shouta who always seemed to know the right thing to say. The right actions to make.

They were new at this but hearing Shouta call him his boyfriend put him over the moon; made him happier than he ever realized he'd be. He liked the idea of being Shouta's boyfriend in the same way Shouta was his. It was unbelievably nice, and God knows it put a flutter to his stomach. A pep to his step. There was nothing better than knowing that his feelings were returned. He loved this man already with such fervor it was intense.

He wanted nothing more than to spend his time with Shouta, but he understood why they couldn't be attached to the hip. However, their nightly calls were what made it absolutely worth it; getting to talk to Shouta at night? To FaceTime him? It made him feel a bit like a giggly teenager. They'd only been actively dating for a week going on two, but he was already so happy that it was astronomical with how much he'd longed and pined for this.

How long he'd wished for this outcome. Knowing it had finally come true, that he could finally have a claim on Shouta, was like breathing out. Was like letting air he hadn't realized had built up in his chest rush out of him. There was a pleasure in having Shouta stare at him with such adoration. To hear that adoration in his voice when they were talking on the phone.

It was a bad habit to sleep with his hearing aids in but there was something so nice about waking in the morning to Shouta snoring delicately over his phone speaker that crackled lightly. There was something unbelievably nice about it. As if he wasn't alone in his big bed. He'd been worried, however, about telling the boys. He thought about keeping it to himself for another six months.

That maybe he should work it in slowly and take his time with introducing his sons to the idea that he was dating but he bit the bullet. After all, they'd surely notice Eri and Shouta spending the night so why not tell them now? It might be very, very early but he wanted his sons to at least know. He knew he didn't have to tell them but there was something unbelievably nice about being able to lay it all out. It was a simplistic explanation, but the boys had taken it well.

As well as two six-year old's could. And if anything, he knew that Hitoshi adored Shouta; that both boys seemed to adore the black-haired man still. It had been some time since the boys got to spend time with Shouta, but he was happy at the very least that they were receptive to it. They may not understand it completely, but he hoped that when they saw Shouta tonight that all would go well. For there was a difference between Shouta being "Dad's friend" and Dad's boyfriend.

There was no doubt a difference, but he wasn't going to push Shouta onto them. They'd have a nice dinner tonight, they'd talk, and if the boys wanted to know about Shouta, then he'd be sure to set that up. Until then, the boys only need to interact with Shouta how they saw fit. He'd never force a relationship on them; if anything, he'd like for it to form naturally. Even if Shouta never became a father figure to the boys, he was sure they'd get used to him being around.

He hoped that when they were teenagers that they'd see Shouta as a confidant. That they'd talk to him. But he wasn't going to even think of forcing a boyfriend of one week onto his sons. They'd keep this casual. Easy. And if the boys wanted to see Shouta more often than he was sure that he could arrange something for the five of them to get together. He didn't want the boys to think he was trying to bring another father figure into their life.

He wasn't aiming for that goal. It wasn't what he wanted for his sons. If anything, if something were to happen then he wanted it to happen naturally as it possibly could. If one day they did see Shouta as a father, then that'd be wonderful. Amazing. But until then, he was going to take things slowly. They might have known Shouta for seven months, but the man was his boyfriend now. His relationship with the man had changed and that was a significant change to be had.

The only thing he could do going forward was to make sure that there was some decorum with the situation. That there was a tactfulness to the way he introduced his boyfriend to his sons. There was no rush, no pressure, for Shouta to take on the boys as his own. There would never be any push for that; he couldn't force Shouta to feel fatherly over them, after all. And he couldn't force Hitoshi or Izuku to view Shouta as a father figure.

There was no forcing a relationship if there was no need for one. His mothers may have been married when they adopted him at his young age but there had never been any rush for him to have a familial imprint on them. He remembered being very young when they explained he could call them by their names if need be. If that's what he was comfortable with. Given he'd been calling them Mommy and Mama for years, he'd stuck to that rather than calling them by their names.

He knew that while he'd been young, calling them that, that Hitoshi and Izuku were different. He'd adopted Hitoshi young enough that the indigo-haired child used to call him Daddy. If Shouta remained just Shouta to his boys, then that's what it'd be. He'd have to explain that to Shouta, but he had the feeling he understood it. After all, Eri had called him Dada a few times and called Shouta Papa. He knew it's just what young children did; there was no controlling that.

But if he and Shouta were in for the long haul, would Eri still call him Dada? Would she eventually call him Daddy the way Hitoshi had? There was so much about the situation that he didn't know; so much that he'd never traversed before. There was a big gray area with this situation that he knew he needed to talk to Shouta about. The very least, a discussion should be had about their children regardless going forward.

Because Hitoshi and Izuku were his entire world; they were his everything. And with the adoption coming to a close, a done deal, with Izuku then that meant they needed to have a talk. He needed Shouta to understand where he stood. The boys needed to understand where they stood. They all needed to know their place, what the rules and what the expectations were. It was important going forward that they knew where they stood when it came to one another's children.

He has two six-year-olds and Shouta had a recently turned two-year-old. He knew he needed to be prepared for when Eri eventually became a part of their household. He didn't want anyone overstepping or becoming upset because of said overstepping. The last thing he was going to do was start parenting Eri when he knew that wasn't his place. Just like he knew that Shouta wasn't about to walk into his house and begin parenting Hitoshi and Izuku.

However, it would be smarter of them if they sat down and talked about their children. If they sat down and they had a good conversation about it going forward. There needed to be some transparency when it came to their kids, didn't there? Sighing out softly to himself, he picked up his spoon to stir the noodles in the pot which he used to gently unstick a few noodles from the bottom when his phone pinged again.

He found himself looking over to his phone curiously before he was tapping the spoon on the side of the pot gently then laying it down. He shuffled over to the counter where he picked up his apple juice and gulped the rest of it down before capping the empty bottle. He then scooped up his phone to find another text from Nemuri. He read the text quickly before then typing out a message back to her.

Humming softly to himself as he leaned forward against the counter with his hips swaying lazily for a moment; shifting his weight from foot to foot. He finished typing out his message which he sent off to Nemuri with a soft hum when the oven beeped shrilly at him. A reminder to flip the chicken. He reached into the drawer to grab his new meat thermometer out; a digital one. He'd seen it online and bought one for himself which he was excited to use on the chicken tonight.

He tugged it out of the drawer, sliding it shut with a gentle thud when he then scooped up the oven mitt resting on the counter up and slid his hand inside. He tugged the oven door down with heat blasting his face in response when he tugged the tray out slightly when he then stood up to grab his tongs off the counter. He then bent back over with the meat thermometer being stuck into the thighs.

One at a time, he read the internal heat with a satisfied nod to himself before he was flipping the crispy chicken then sliding it back into the oven. Shutting the oven door, he set a new timer for an additional twenty minutes. Surely that'd be long enough to finish cooking the chicken through and give him time to get the sauce and cheese on it. He could broil the chicken and eye the cheese until it melted. It shouldn't take long to get dinner plated up and on the table.

He hummed softly to himself when he slid his hand out of the oven mitt which he placed on the counter with the tongs that glistened lightly from the oil of the chicken. He didn't want to continually deep fry chicken or pork. Sometimes there was a nice change in pace to bake chicken. He rubbed his hands over his thighs when his phone pinged for a second time to which he turned on his feet to the counter. Scooping his phone up again, he found pictures from Nemuri waiting for him.

Her and Oboro were out shopping. They were renovating one of the guest rooms into a bedroom for Tenko. They were getting all their information from the caseworker and were trying to decorate the room into something that the boy would like. But given they'd shopped for Hitoshi and Izuku, it was different. They were shopping for a pre-teen. Scrolling through the pictures that were sent to him by Nemuri, he hummed before he began to type out a response.

Giving his opinion on the things they were deciding between then turning his phone screen off with a gentle sigh when he then spun on his feet. His slippers sliding over the floor deafeningly when he leaned against the counter with his hands resting on the edge of the counter behind him. Drumming his fingers on the edge of it. It seemed that everyone was having kids now a days; he was adopting Izuku and Nemuri and Oboro were fostering a troubled child of their own.

Shouta had Eri. It was only a matter of time before Tensei had a kid of his own with Emi or someone. It was only a matter of time before the blue-haired man had a kid of his own, but Tensei always waved it off; explaining that his little brother, Tenya, was more than enough for him. And then, of course, there was his siblings who were practically babies having babies. They were only in their early twenties, his youngest brother just barely turned twenty and he was having babies.

He'd never shame someone for having a pregnancy in high school, but he'd scolded his brother thoroughly when he found out his now wife was pregnant during their last year of high school. He'd been half out of his mind when Hana began having babies with her husband at the young age of twenty-two. He knew he couldn't control what his siblings did; he knew he couldn't control anyone, but it was crazy to him. They were still babies.

They still needed time to figure out what they were doing with their lives and yet here they were having babies. When he was that young, he was hooking up and dating. Sure, he got Hitoshi at the young age of twenty-three, but he knew what he was doing by that point. He'd been thinking of settling down slightly. Of course, he'd never factored a child into it, but he had been thinking of slowing down. He was a young adult when he adopted Hitoshi, but he didn't regret it.

He was sure his brother and sister didn't regret their babies; he knew they didn't. And he loved his nieces and nephews. He adored them. he just wished his siblings would let themselves see more of life before marrying and settling down the way that they have but it was their lives. It was their choices. Just like it had been his choice to adopt Hitoshi; he didn't have to take on a child that young, but he did. Everyone found their own path.

Everyone had their own method. And now here he was, a twenty-six-year-old man going on twenty-seven this year with a new boyfriend and two sons. One about to be legally adopted by him and he hoped to God that Izuku said yes. The boy hardly asked about his parents; he had not a clue what went on in the household or what type of life Izuku had had before coming to him but over the past year, the green-haired child hadn't breathed a word about his mother or father.

None. And with how close they were now? How effortlessly Izuku called him dad? Referred to Hitoshi as his brother? He was hopeful that the six-year-old would say yes when he showed him the adoption papers when the caseworker brought them. Taking a slow breath and then exhaling slowly, he turned back to the stove where the water was roiling softly in the quiet of the kitchen. The TV was blaring from the living room with the volume that his sons thought reasonable.

And then there were nudges against his legs that had him looking down; Sterling and Cappella weaved around his legs with their chirping meows aimed up at him. Beautiful, rich blue and light blue eyes stared at him insistently, as if they were willing him to get their dinner ready. He knew it was about time to get them dinner, to which he reached down to scratch their heads gently. Loving the purrs that erupted from them when he noted Cappella and Reese sitting by the doorframe.

Watching him with their copper and gold eyes patiently. He smiled at the cats when he turned to the stove, gently nudging Cappella and Sterling from his legs as he stirred the noodles and then the sauce that was bubbling gently. Once he had both stirred, he put the cover on the sauce to keep it from splattering; he turned on his feet to walk across the small kitchen to the wall where the cat bowls rested.

Opening the cabinet, he grabbed their container of food and dragged it out with the food hitting off the sides of the container. He opened the top, reaching in for the scoop, and suddenly he was swamped by four impatient cats meowing up at him insistently. Filling each bowl up with a single scoop of food, the cats ran to their bowls and began crunching on their food when he put the scoop back into the container.

Clipping it shut, he stood up right and slid it back into its place in the cabinet and then shut the door to it when he glanced over at the water bowls. All was good there; he'd just washed and refilled their water when he'd been preparing dinner. Nodding to himself while the cats crunched on their food, he padded over to the stove again to check on the pasta. Scooping a noodle out of the boiling water, he gently laid it on the empty box of noodles as he blew gently on it.

He did so until he could pick it up and pop it into his mouth as he chewed, then turned the burner off. Scooping up the pot of boiling pasta, he turned on his feet to walk towards the sink, where he sat the pot down. He reached into the sink to adjust the strainer before lifting the pot up again and dumping the water into the strainer. He'd put some butter on the noodles to keep them from clumping together. He needed a little more time on the chicken.

Pouring the noodles out with a gush of that hot water, he turned his head when his glasses began to steam up due to the heat. Dumping the pot out, he placed it back on the counter and then reached into the sink for the strainer. He shook it and the noodles gently as water pattered into the sink when his phone pinged again, gaining his attention, but he finished shaking out the pasta.

He poured it back into the pot, a few noodles slithering into the sink, and he placed the strainer back into the sink. Padding over to the fridge, he tugged the door open, then reached in for the butter, then shut the door. He rushed back over to the counter, grabbing his spoon on the way and opening the butter, from which he scooped a dollop out and tapped it onto the pasta.

Stirring it up with the wet sound of the noodles, it made him want to giggle at the inappropriate thoughts threatening to form in his mind, but he fought them down. Instead he got the noodles stirred up with the butter then reached under the counter for the top of the pot with a hum. Putting it on the noodles to keep them hot, he then turned on his feet to walk over and pull the top of the small pot off.

Steam rushed up with the sauce spitting lightly at him as he picked up the spoon and stirred the steaming sauce that spit at him. Bubbling. He hummed softly as he stirred the sauce when his phone pinged again. He covered the sauce once more, then padded to the fridge, tugging it open and reaching into the drawer for the shredded cheese he had. Tugging it out, he then walked to the stove, where he sat it next to it on the countertop.

He scooped up his phone again to find two texts from Nemuri and one from Shouta; it had his heart jumping in his chest when he tapped on Nemuri's first. Once again, helping her pick between comforters that he thought a boy Tenko's age would like, he then opened the texts with Shouta. It was a simple text message where the black-haired man explained that he was heading out now and that he'd be there in a few moments.

His eyes went to the time; how did twenty minutes go by like that? Didn't he just set the timer on the stove? Just checked the chicken? He pinched his lips together when he put his phone back down after typing out a response and shutting the screen off. He then grabbed his oven mitt and tongs and grabbed the handle of the oven door to tug it open and reached in for the tray. His chicken was sizzling lightly when he tugged it out and then placed it up onto the stove.

He closed the oven door and then grabbed his meat thermometer, which he stuck into one chicken thigh at a time. Perfect. He tugged the top off of the pot again as he began to use his wooden spoon to pour sauce over the chicken carefully. Putting the top back on the sauce, he then grabbed the cheese and sprinkled a generous helping onto the chicken. Grabbing the pan and opening the oven door to slide it into the oven and shutting the door once more.

Changing it from baking to broiling; this would mean that the cheese would melt in mere minutes. He was happily checking the sauce, the noodles waiting on the counter, when he took a slow breath in and then let it out. The excitement that was beginning to run rampant in his chest was leaving him choked up. His hands were trembling lightly; something he noted when he slid the oven mitt off of his hand. He needed to calm himself.

He fought the irrational urge to go to his bedroom to change before Shouta showed up here. He looked down at himself; there was nothing wrong with the beige sweater he wore or the blue jeans he had on. His hair tied back, he knew he was put together without trying. He didn't need to waste any more clothing by changing irrationally for his boyfriend. His cheeks flooded with heat as he toyed with the end of his sweater with his eyes going to the window.

Watching where snow had begun to swirl through the air. Attacking the window lightly, causing the screen to rattle lightly in its place. Grabbing the sauce, he tugged the cover off with the sauce spitting up at him as he padded across the kitchen with the spitting sauce in hand. He tugged the cover off of the pasta, which puffed up at him in a burst of steam, and he poured the sizzling sauce over the noodles with a hum.

Drenching the noodles in sauce, he slid his pot into the sink and then reached for the spoon he had resting across the edge of the sink. Using it, he stirred up the noodles with that wet sound ringing out as he made sure the noodles were evenly covered. Stirring carefully to avoid splattering his coffee pot or himself, he covered the noodles once the sauce was mixed in and he then rushed over to the oven.

Tugging the door down to peek at the chicken, which was sizzling with the cheese melting on top. He was reaching for his oven mitt when the sound of four firm knocks on the door had his heart sprinting against his chest. His breath catching in his throat. He was here? Now? He grabbed his mitt, tugging the oven door open, and he reached in for the tray, which he placed on the stovetop.

He slammed the oven door, ripped the mitt off, and he was running across the kitchen with thudding footsteps. He was flying down the hallway with his heart in his throat when he paused to clear it as he tugged at the hem of his sweater, making sure it sat just right over his jeans. His sons were looking at him curiously from the living room, to which he signed at them to turn the volume down, which they did, thankfully.

God, was he glad that teaching his sons sign language was going so well. Taking another unnecessary deep breath, he opened the door, and there he stood. His boyfriend. Shouta's heavy coat was on, black curls spilling over the dark fabric with snow swirling behind him and a scarf wrapped loosely around his throat. He had gloves on his hands and black boots with a slight wedge, from what he could see. Just standing in the light of his porch, Shouta looked good.

The light played off of his black curls making them somehow shimmer in the low lighting. The light playing off of his dark eyes giving them an extra shimmer with a smile curling on those full lips of his with a warmth that spread to his eyes. He swore those red cheeks grew just a bit rosier. In his arms was Eri, who wore a pink fluffy coat, a hat with an adorable little pom-pom on it, and gloves.

Her white hair, curling at the ends, brushed up against her hat in the adorable little bob that spilled past the tips of her ears. She looked so big. He was reaching for the baby before she began to whimper and squirm while reaching for him. Shouta handed the baby to him when that first whimper broke out of the two-year-old and she was in his arms, coat, gloves, boots, and all. Cuddled into his chest when he fought the urge to cover her little head in kisses. She wasn't his, and he needed to respect that.

But it didn't stop his arms from cradling the two-year-old and crooning at her wordlessly when he lifted a hand up to gently rub that pink nose of hers, which had red eyes shimmering in delight at him. And then he backed up, allowing Shouta to step over the threshold into the house with boots thudding over the floor and the door swinging shut. Thudding quietly, there was a soft thudding on the floor, and Hitoshi and Izuku were in the doorway, to which he smiled.

"When did Eri get so big, huh? Do you two remember when she was itty bitty? Just a baby?" He spoke to his sons who stared at the toddler in his arms when he then walked over to the heater to set her down on it gently then began to work her coat off. Unzipping it with her little arms pulling out as she giggled with her feet kicking out. Once he got her coat off, her hat off, he then began working on her boots when he looked over his shoulder at his sons who watched him with wide eyes. "Why don't you two say hello to Mister Aizawa, huh?"

The boys looked downright horrified at the idea of it; as if there was a change somehow. That going from being his friend to his boyfriend meant this was a whole new ball game to play. Shouta hung his coat up, his boots thudding over the floor gently, when he squatted down before the boys with his hand held out. His red cheek lifted from what he could see from the side when the black-haired man chuckled softly. "It's nice to see you again, Hitoshi. And it's nice to see you again too, Izuku. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Mhmmm." Hitoshi hummed at the black-haired man when he hesitated before putting his hand in Shouta's which was then shook gently. Purple eyes flicked up to him curiously to which he nodded as he pulled Eri into his arms again as her little arms wrapped around his neck. Her legs against his stomach and back as she straddled his hip. And then Hitoshi was smiling crookedly at the black-haired man as he shook his hand. "It's nice to see you again! Dad says you're his boyfriend now! Like Zu is Ochako's!"

"Stop telling everyone that!" Izuku whined when his hand replaced Hitoshi's and shook Shouta's hands with a slight pout on his lips. Green eyes flicking to him as if to see if that was alright when the green-haired child then held his casted arm out; there was hardly any space on it, but he knew exactly what his son was going to offer to the black-haired man. "Do you wanna sign my cast again? Dad said that they're gonna be taking it off soon and I want to save all the stuff on it!"

"How come you won't let me write on it?" Hitoshi whined much like his brother had which had Shouta laughing softly; a rich sound that held the right amount of affection. Of gentle amusement. The indigo-haired child and Izuku evil eyed one another before Hitoshi was padding forward around Shouta. Rushing up to him with hands going to his waist as he held onto him with purple eyes staring up at him. "It's not fair Dad! I wanna break my arm too and have all kindsa cool stuff on it!"

"Hitoshi, my child, I can only deal with one child having a broken arm at a time, yeah?" He slid his hand over indigo locks gently before giving his son another noogie that had him whining up at him to which he smiled when Shouta stood up and Izuku clung to his hand; holding it the way he would with his own. He seemed a bit shy about it, but the child held on. "I've had a broken arm, and I can tell you, it's not fun. I'm sure Izu is looking forward to the day it comes off, aren't you, Izu?"

"Yeah, it's got all kinda itches to it that I can't reach! But you could get a shirt that people can sign though! Auntie Hana told me that's what she did one time when she was a kid!" Izuku chirruped when Eri's arms tightened around his neck as he held the small toddler to him. Izuku then smiled up at Shouta with his hand tugging on the black-haired man's to pull him into the living room slightly. "Come look at my show! Me and Toshi were watching something and I wanna show it to you! C'mon, To!"

Hitoshi looked up at him to which he nodded and ran his hand over his hair again before the boy detached himself from his hip. He adjusted Eri on his right hip then turned on his feet while the boys and Shouta walked into the living room with Eri snuggling into his side with her tiny fingers playing with his ponytail. Humming softly as her little feet kicked as if she were utterly delighted when he squeezed her gently. Pressing his cheek to the top of her head when she squirmed. "I missed you, Unca Dada!"

"I missed you too, lil' bug! You're so big now, you know that? You were so itsy bitsy when I first met you!" He nuzzled his cheek to her head as he walked into the kitchen, his slippered feet sliding over the floor as her little fingers tugged at his hair and her head came to rest on his shoulder. Arms and legs tightening when he then gently pinched her side; dancing his hand along it getting her to squeal with laughter when he laughed with her. "Such a big girl you've become! It's like you've grown a foot!"

"Nuh uh!" Eri squealed as she wriggled in his arms, and he fought again the urge to smother her face in kisses. To blow raspberries into her throat. She was his boyfriend's daughter, and he wasn't about to start trampling over boundaries set by his boyfriend. Shouta would need to tell him what was and wasn't okay to do with Eri; after all, not everyone wanted their significant others to kiss their children. He danced his hand along her side as she shrieked with such delight it warmed his heart.

"Yeah huh! You're such a big girl, Eri! You were just a little baby the last time I saw you!" He crooned playfully while she wriggled on his hip to which he pulled his hand away and he tugged her from his hip. Placing her on the floor with arms tight around his neck. Refusing to let him go when he reached up to touch her arms gently when she whined in protest. "Just give me a minute, bug, I gotta get dinner outta the oven! I don't want you to get burn or anything then I'll pick you right back up, okay?"

"Okay!" She then let go with a pout on her pink lips but she stood back where he set her down when he turned to the oven. He grabbed his mitt off of the counter then tugged open the door where he looked in at the chicken with a soft hum; it was utterly perfect. All it needed was to be served up and dished out onto plates. He grabbed the tray and slid it off of the rack and up onto the stove top once more with a hum. He shut the oven door, turned the oven off and flicked the light off.

He felt Eri's eyes following him as he opened the cabinet to drag down five plates for the five of them down as he then took the top off of the pasta and used his spoon to give a stir. He then began to spoon the pasta out onto plates; filling up Hitoshi, Izuku, and Eri's plates. He scooped a generous helping onto his and Shouta's plates then slid their plates across the counter to the stove where he reached for the spatula when small hands twisted into his jeans. "I'll be done in just a minute, bug, you wanna eat, don't you?"

"Yeah! But ups! I wanna be ups!" Eri whined with small hands tugging at his jeans to which he looked down at the girl with a soft smile on his lips as she pouted up at him. Tugging at his pants again before she was thudding to the floor with arms and legs wrapping around his shin; something Hitoshi did when he was that small. It honestly had warmth shooting straight through his veins when the girl then looked up at him with that pout on her lips. "I sit here, then!"

"You can sit there all you want, bug, but you'll need to eat dinner, won't you?" He then paused; what did he put Eri in? Did he have an extra booster seat? Or did she eat in a high chair still? He didn't have a high chair still, did he? If he did it was buried deep in the basement somewhere. He'd not thought he'd have to have a high chair for her. It had him cursing mentally that he hadn't searched for it earlier as he slid a thigh onto his plate and one onto Shouta's when he heard thudding footsteps.

Glancing over instinctively, he couldn't help a smile when he watched Shouta walking down the hall with Hitoshi and Izuku balanced on his feet. Clinging onto him the same way they clung onto him; there was a soft smile on Shouta's lips and a sparkle to those dark eyes as his hands hovered over green curls and wild indigo locks. Shouta then looked up at him with that smile on his lips widening and it had his heart skipping in his chest. "If you don't mind, Zashi, I brought a bottle of wine, but I forgot it in the car. Mind if I run out?"

"Not one bit! Also, I didn't think about it, but I don't exactly have a high chair for Eri to sit in. I mean, I have one! But I just didn't think to dig it out, you know? I should've but I was in a rush to get dinner on, you know?" He hated that he was babbling. A nervous babbling that he had to choke off when he felt Eri's fingers twisting into the material of his jeans and Shouta smiled at him with that shimmer to his dark eyes.

It didn't help his skipping heart when Shouta trudged over to him with the boys giggling and then a hand was reaching out towards him. The backs of his fingers touching his cheek then sliding down it in a caress to his jawline, the black-haired man's smile glowed with a warmth that spread to his shimmering eyes. It was beautiful. "It's fine, Zashi, I have a booster seat with a table connecter that we can use tonight. Let me go get that and the wine while dinner is put on the table, yeah? Don't stress out."

"Right! Right, right, right, I won't stress it!" He chirped back when Shouta's fingers trailed over his jaw which had tingles racing under his skin like a livewire had been placed beneath it. Like he'd plucked the right cord that thrummed beneath his skin when he then took a breath as Shouta's fingers pulled away from his jaw to which he then turned his gaze down. Looking to his sons who held onto Shouta tightly. "You two, let him go! He'll be right back in, I promise! You'll have all night to talk to Mister Aizawa!"

There were pouts on their lips when they let go of Shouta and stepped off of his booted feet with the black-haired man chuckling softly. He then turned on his feet, boots thudding over the floor, as he made his way across the kitchen then to the hallway with brisk, long strides. He turned away from the sight of Shouta leaving to grab the handle of the drawer to grab a fork. Then turning to pluck a knife from the block when he felt arms around his waist. "Dad?"

"What's up, bud?" He didn't think twice when replying when he listened to the front door creak open then thud shut quietly when he got to work on cutting the final three breasts into thin strips. Tugging Hitoshi and Izuku's plates towards him, he placed four strips onto their plates then worked on cutting up a few strips into chunks for Eri. Should he cut the pasta up too? Or could she eat noodles? He'd asked Shouta when he came back in with the seat and the wine when he touched his son's hand. "Something wrong?"

"Nah, nothing wrong! But do we tell Mister Aizawa we know you're boyfriends now? Or is that a big secret that we gotta keep? Like when you made us promise to be quiet about your crush on him?" There was a curiosity to Hitoshi's voice that had him smiling when he stroked the back of his son's hand gently. He turned to hand Izuku his plate which was taken carefully but those green eyes stared up at him much like he imagined Hitoshi's would. Waiting for his answer when he hummed softly.

"Hmmm, no, you don't have to keep it a secret! Honesty is the best thing going forward so it's okay that you two know! No more secrets need to be kept, okay? Now take your plate and head to the table, okay? I'll get you both some soda- Don't look at me like that! You only get one cup tonight! So take this and go sit, okay?" He handed Hitoshi his plate when arms slid from around his waist but there was a delighted sparkle to those green and purple eyes as they trotted away.

He playfully rolled his eyes at the boys before turning with Eri sliding over the floor as she clung to him with a giggle. He reached into the cabinet for two glasses for Hitoshi and Izuku then two wine glasses from the third shelf up above which he placed down. Then he grabbed the sippy cup in the back of the cupboard that he'd been meaning to pack away forever now. The front door creaked open again when his heart jumped in his chest when Shouta cleared his throat. "I'm back!"

It was called gently towards him to which he turned to smile over his shoulder at the black-haired man who was taking his scarf off and stuffing it into his pocket. Unzipping his coat quickly to reveal a soft green sweater that went beautifully with the black pants that he wore as his coat was shrugged off with the seat placed on the floor. The bottle of wine held tightly while arms slid through sleeves and he then turned back to the plates. "Perfect timing! I just got dinner plated up so it's ready to go! Would you mind helping me with plates?"

"I don't mind doing that whatsoever!" He listened to the thud of boots being kicked off when he shifted backwards as he grabbed Eri's plate and Shouta's which were steaming. He listened to the thud of feet coming towards him when he turned on his feet with Eri giggling up at him delightedly as he walked in an exaggerated shuffle to the dining room while the small girl clung to his leg. Holding onto him tightly as he chuckled down at her softly when he made his way into the dining room.

Placing down Shouta's plate then Eri's, he bent down to scoop up the young girl when he turned to find Shouta walking towards him with his plate in hand. Handing him the booster seat and tray combo, he tugged a chair out to place it in the seat while he watched the black-haired man buckle it into place. Unmovable. Sliding Eri into it, buckling her in, he then hesitated when he looked to Shouta while Eri made those adorable grabby hands towards the plate. "Do I need to cut up the pasta smaller? I don't want her to choke."

"Maybe cut it up a bit for her; I haven't introduced her to big noodles yet but she's making her way towards them. I just tend to be on the safe side, you know?" He nodded at the black-haired man when he took the steaming plate from his hand to place it next to his seat with a light thud. He then turned with Eri's plate in hand to follow Shouta out to the kitchen once more where he flew to the counter. Tugging the scissors out of the knife block, he got to work on snipping the pasta.

"Do you mind getting Toshi and Izu's drinks? I'm letting them have some soda with dinner tonight which is a treat for them! It should be on the door in a big bottle." He chattered at the black-haired man who nodded when he finished snipping up Eri's food and he reached into the drawer to grab one of the child-safety forks that he had for her. Utensils he broke out for when she would visit and they ate over. "And I have a corkscrew if you need it, I'll put it on the counter, okay?"

"You got it!" He could imagine Shouta's nod as he tugged the corkscrew from the drawer to lay on the counter when he then walked from the counter across the kitchen with plate in hand. He padded into the dining room where he sat down Eri's plate onto her tray when she squealed. And then he turned on his feet with a breath in when he noted his sons waiting. No doubt for him and Shouta to join them when he heard a pop from the kitchen as he walked forward.

And he watched Shouta pouring rich, red wine into the glasses as he padded across the small kitchen to him. He reached out to touch his boyfriend's waist then leaned forward to press into his back gently as his chin rested on his shoulder. There was nothing better than feeling Shouta pressing back against him as their glasses were filled halfway. The screen rattling lightly in the window when he curled his arms around his waist, and he kissed behind his ear gently. "How are you doing tonight? I forgot to ask."

Hands slid along his forearms in a caress that had him smiling when the black-haired man's fingers drifted over the backs of his hands. Soft caresses that had him humming softly when he kissed behind Shouta's ear again which had a shudder running over the black-haired man again. Fingers drumming against the backs of his hand when the black-haired man cleared his throat. "I'm doing alright. A bit tired. But more than anything I'm starving. So, let's go eat, yeah?"

"I did spend an hour cooking for everyone! So, I don't blame you for being hungry; I know I sure am starving myself!" Sliding his arms from around his boyfriend, he stepped back with his hands drifting along his waist as Shouta picked their glasses up. He grabbed Hitoshi and Izuku's cups where he slipped into the room to take his seat with a hum then handing the cups to the boys. A look of relief being shared between Hitoshi and Izuku when he smiled at his sons. "I'm sorry for taking a bit, let's eat, yeah?"

Both boys beamed as Shouta took his seat next to him with his glass of wine being placed onto the table. Both boys stabbed their pasta and stuffed it into their mouths rather eagerly with sauce smearing on cheeks and lips. Eri's face was a mess of sauce as she scooped her noodles up carefully with her small fist holding the utensil tightly. It was sweet. He then felt Shouta's foot touch his beneath the table when he met those dark eyes. And it felt like a secret. "Thank you for cooking dinner, Zashi. And for inviting us over."

"Any time! You should start spending more time around here again!" He replied when he stabbed a forkful of pasta then popped it into his mouth; it had turned out much better than he thought it would. It had him eagerly stabbing at his pasta again with Shouta following after him to eat in gusto. There was silence over the table as they all ate their food; all the while Shouta's foot remained pressed against his. And he couldn't help but feel warm to his core at the gentle touch.

Tonight couldn't get any better.