"Oi, come with me for a sec, we need to talk"
Shoto wasn't really all that surprised when Bakugou asked to speak with him after school, but they'd had to be quick or else he'd be home late and his father would demand an explanation. And if he wasn't home, Fuyumi would ask and tell their father about it afterwards. She was kind and sweet and Shoto liked her but her efforts at rebuilding their family bonds were sometimes a little overbearing...
"I'm just gonna cut to the point here" Bakugou stated when they were alone.
"Not everyone would've done what you have for Deku, so thanks"
Shoto blinked, processing the words. Did he just...thank him? Of all the things he'd expected this conversation to be about, he never imagined Bakugou would thank him. No, he thought this would be the blonde threatening him into silence and making sure he kept his mouth shut about Midoriya, to not be in the way. This was an unexpected turn of events, but that didn't mean it wasn't a welcome one.
"Look, I'm still fucking pissed you didn't use your fire when we fought and it's not like I fucking like you now or something" Katsuki added, wanting to make that very clear.
"But Deku is my best friend and you protected him even though you could've easily ratted him out to your dad or All Might. Hell, you even went as far as covering up for his stupid ass! So yeah, fuck, I'm thankful, okay?"
"...You're welcome" Shoto answered, unsure of how to react.
"I promise I won't tell anyone about his quirk or its origins"
"Good" Bakugou huffed, crossing his arms. That seemed to be the end of the conversation, at least that's what Shoto concluded after a moment of silence. He grabbed his bag from where he'd dropped it before, ready to leave when Bakugou stopped him.
"What you said back there with Aizawa sensei meant a lot to Deku" Bakugou said.
"Were you serious about that?"
"What?" Shoto asked, confused.
"When you said you think of him as a hero, did you mean it?" Katsuki clarified.
"Because if you don't, then cut it out. I won't allow you to toy with that idiot's feelings"
"I meant what I said, otherwise I would've stayed silent" Shoto simply answered.
"Midoriya may have a quirk of dubious origins, but I believe his intentions are pure. Unlike most heroes I know..."
"Endeavor?" Katsuki asked, making Shoto frown. How did he know about that?
"I kinda overheard your talk with Deku at the sportsfestival. You shouldn't talk about those fucking things in public, you know?"
Oh.
So Bakugou also knew about his home life now... Well, he didn't seem like the person to spread rumors or someone who would pity him over it, so he guessed it was fine. Shoto was lucky no one else overheard.
"He's...aggressive and violent, even as a pro hero" Shoto frowned.
"I don't understand how he ever made it to the number two spot... But then again, my view of pro heroes changed a lot recently"
"Yeah, once you know about AFO, All Might seems like an ass" Katsuki sighed.
"I've looked up to him my whole life, thinking that he was different, that he was a real hero" Shoto continued.
"But he's just as manipulative and shady as Endeavor..."
"All Might is the best fucking hero out there, nobody can deny that" Bakugou countered.
"And it's not like he knows a literal child has AFO-"
"That didn't stop him from trying to kill us at the USJ" Todoroki interrupted, making Katsuki's eyes widen.
"...So you know about that, huh?" Bakugou muttered.
"You're right, he's reckless and deranged and he shouldn't be allowed to teach but here we fucking are... Like I said, I still think he's a good hero, but that doesn't make him a good person"
Being a good hero doesn't mean you're a good person... Somehow those words caught Shoto completely off guard. Like a universal truth he hadn't realised until he was told. Of course being able to beat up others didn't make you a good person! That's why he sided with Midoriya, right? Because he is a good person, despite his flaws and shortcomings.
"I've said what I wanted to say" Bakugou grunted.
"Won't hold you up any longer. See you tomorrow or whatever"
"Yes, I'll see you at school" Shoto answered, and with that Bakugou left as if nothing had happened. He'd probably act as if nothing changed between them either. Did something change..? Maybe that was all just Shoto's perspective... Hmm, he was pretty sure they were friends now, at least. Yes, Bakugou and Midoriya were his friends now. Huh, never had friends before... His father would be pissed off if he heard about it, which only made the whole thing better in his opinion.
Yeah, Shoto decided he didn't mind having friends, not anymore at least. Maybe they weren't the distractions Endeavor made them out to be... Maybe they could push him to become stronger? Shoto allowed a small smile to slip on his lips as he walked out of school grounds, seeing Bakugou and Midoriya bicker a little up ahead. Best friends... That must be nice... Shoto was pulled out of thought when a black car pulled up, the driver opening up the door for him. Things certainly took an interesting turn.
...
Hitoshi sighed as he put the box down, still breathing hard from carrying it up the flight of stairs just now. The room still looked pretty barren right now, but that would change soon enough.
"Hey, don't just stand there! Your stuff isn't going to move itself" Izuku grinned as he walked in behind him, pushing him with the box he was carrying.
It was really happening! Shinsou was moving in with them today! It was a little something that managed to brighten up his day after that awful conversation with Aizawa sensei at lunch. Banned from training... Guess things could've ended a lot worse but still.
"Are all people here so pushy?" Hitoshi asked, clearly going along with the playful banter.
"Oh yeah, we're all horrible. I'd run while I still have the chance" Dabi shrugged as he walked past them towards his own room. Izuku frowned, glaring at the black head as Shinsou snorted. Yeah, he'll fit in just fine here. Maybe he finally found a place to call home? Hm, that would be a first... It would be nice, though.
"Come on, I think we can get everything else in one go" Hitoshi said, walking past Midoriya into the hallway. The green head glanced back into the room, frowning at the few packed belongings. His dad would definitely buy him more stuff later.
"Okay" Izuku answered, following him down the stairs and outside. Aizawa sensei was standing next to the car, having driven Shinsou here from his former foster home.
"You can come inside if you want to, Aizawa sensei" Izuku said as he grabbed a duffel bag from the trunk.
"There's still some paperwork involved after this to officially register Shinsou-kun as a resident here and mom is making snacks to celebrate the new arrival. It could take a while and you're more than welcome"
"Is this the last of it?" Aizawa asked instead, seeing Shinsou close the trunk.
"Everything else is already upstairs" Hitoshi nodded.
"Are you coming in?" Izuku asked again. Shouta thought about it for a moment, eying the building in front of him. The only reason he hadn't walked in yet was because he knew Midoriya Hisashi was in there, formerly known as All For One.
He didn't really want to know the face behind all those evils All Might always spoke of. He didn't want to see the similarities between father and son because he knew he'd start comparing Izuku to that man. He couldn't soil the image of his student like that, although the puppy eyes he was giving him right now were slowly changing his mind.
"Come on, Eraserhead" Hitoshi called out, turning around on the pathway leading to the front door.
"We have a reason to celebrate, don't we?"
Aizawa wouldn't deny that. He truly was happy for Shinsou, for the chance that was given to him. And fuck, they should celebrate. It wasn't the kid's fault this organization was run by a former supervillain...
"I won't be able to stay long, I have a patrol this evening" the teacher explained. The two teens smiled widely, quickly getting a move on to get the last few things up to Hitoshi's new room.
Aizawa sighed. Entering didn't have to mean he'd run into Hisashi. He was a busy man, wasn't he? He was probably hauled up in his office right now anyway. What are the chances of them actually running into each other? Well, the odds weren't in his favor, apparently. The moment Shouta walked into the hallway and heard a news broadcast, he glanced aside, getting a good view of the villain.
There was no doubt in his mind that that man was Izuku's father. The resemblance was uncanny. He was watching an older broadcast, about those abominations that terrorized Hosu during the whole ordeal with the Hero Killer. Nobody knew what they were exactly, how they got there, what their goal was... They injured a lot of heroes and caused serious damage to the city infrastructure, but it could've been worse.
Not according to Hisashi though. He was looking quite concerned, glancing between the images and a paper in his hand. Aizawa frowned. If this man was worried about those attacks, there might be more to those things than they knew...
"You seem rather concerned" Shouta called out, clearly startling the man out of his trance.
"Oh, Eraserhead! You scared me" Hisashi chuckled, holding a hand over his chest to calm his racing heart.
"I didn't see you there, how long have you been standing there?"
"Guess sensing people is a lot harder without a detection quirk, isn't it?" Aizawa sighed, closing the door behind him. He was taking a risk by accusing Hisashi so openly, by admitting he knew who he was, who he used to be. Yet it was a risk he was willing to take. Certainly if that meant having more information about those monsters.
"...A detection quirk? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by that" Hisashi answered, his smile slowly fading away.
"Oh? I thought your son informed me it was one of the aspects of your former quirk... Guess I must've misheard him" Aizawa reacted. Their eyes met for a moment, creating an understanding between them.
"You're not siding with All Might on this matter, so I'm not sure what you intend to do with that information... Are you trying to get a confession out of me, Eraser?"
"I'm not recording this conversation, if that's what you're asking" Aizawa told him, glancing at the picture frames that lined the wall as he walked past them.
"And I won't tell All Might who you are, if only for my student's sake"
"So why are you here then? I take it this isn't about Shinsou" Hisashi frowned. Aizawa decided it was best to just straight out ask what he wanted to know rather than dance around the question any longer.
"You seem concerned about those mutants that appeared in Hosu last week... They caused a lot of destruction, true, but they were taken into custody in the end. You shouldn't have to worry about them anymore... Unless there is a reason to do so?"
Shouta didn't expect the man to give him any information to be honest. He might be trying to get his life back on track and start anew, but that didn't mean he would share what he knew. He could piss off some other high profile criminal in the process and ruin everything he built here, so why would he? At least, that's what Aizawa was thinking. So he was surprised when Hisashi motioned for him to take a seat as he put the paper on his desk.
"They're called Nomu, or at least that's what their creator calls them" Hisashi breathed.
"They're artificial humans, bodies created to be able to hold multiple quirks. You see, humans aren't built to withstand more than two quirks at best, so in order to create someone more powerful, you'd have to modify them. The process damages their brain, their sense of being... It are truly cruel experiments with the goal of creating an unstoppable army. What we saw at Hosu was only just the beginning"
"How do you know?"
"Who do you think came with the idea?" Hisashi asked, making Aizawa's eyes widen.
"Yes, I know, not one of my best decisions..." he frowned.
"All For One is used as the foundation of these experiments. The modifications are to make their bodies more compatible, more like mine, like something able to withstand so many quirks. I thought it stopped after I left, but it seems like he continued regardless... I received this letter not long after the Hosu incident"
Aizawa carefully took the paper that was handed to him, swiftly turning it around in order to read it.
All For One! I hope Kurogiri delivers this letter to you soon. I'm sure you're aware of what happened in Hosu city during the night of xx/xx. I would like to inform you of the test results in person, but you're a difficult man to keep track of, which is why this letter will have to do. Therefore I've attached the specifications of the Nomu that were used during the test at the end of this letter.
The results were better than I could've hoped! With a few tweaks, I will be able to perfect them! Of course I wouldn't be bothering you with these matters if I didn't need your help. I'll need some more samples of your quirk, preferably when activated. That's why I ask you if I may take samples from your tissue as well. I promise it'll take the project into the next phase! If you were to deny, I would've no other choice but to convert to a more...direct approach.
I wish for us to have a smooth cooperation once more.
K.G.
Shouta frowned, looking back up at Hisashi when he was done reading. This K.G. person must be his former associate... He didn't like his tone though.
"I've already declined and told him I want nothing to do with this anymore" Hisashi explained.
"But I'm worried... I know he won't give up on this so easily and I don't know what methods he'll resort to without my assistance... I'm afraid he'll come after Izuku next. He's my son, his body is just as resilient as mine, which is why he was able to inherit my quirk. If the doctor finds out about him, Izuku will probably be his next target"
"So that's the reason you're telling me this..." Aizawa mumbled. To protect his son...
"I've already sent Kurogiri, my assistant, to search the former locations of these experiments, but the sites were empty. He changed location and with my current standing I don't have the resources to find him nor take care of him by myself" Hisashi sighed, folding up the letter and putting it away in the drawer of his desk.
"So yes, any help would be greatly appreciated"
"If we could find and stop him before he releases these...Nomu are released onto the world, it would be for the better" Aizawa nodded.
"I can send out a small group of underground heroes to gather intel if you give me everything you know about him as a basis to go off on. A name, for example"
"I only ever addressed him as the doctor, but he signs everything with the initials K.G." Hisashi explained.
"Much like how he didn't know my true name, I never knew his. It wasn't necessary to complete our agreement so no questions were asked"
"I see... That means every bit of information you can give me is all the more valuable" Aizawa stated.
"I'll have Kurogiri document everything and send it to you" Hisashi smiled, standing up.
"We should join the in the festivities before someone barges in here"
Right... Shinsou should be done putting his things in his new room, which meant they were already busy with the paperwork right now.
"Of course, we'll be able to discuss the details later"