Two Heroes and A Hustler

27

A/N: Heyoo! So these last couple of weeks have been really kicking my ass. I'm trying to balance a full-time internship, part time job, five hour drive round trip for class (3 hours) every week, and some deadlines are coming up for my capstone/research project.

Also this weekend I got to go home and see my brother and sisters! We only see each other a couple times a year so that's why this is late (teenagers are exhausting lol).

I'm going to take this week off to catch up on schoolwork and work on some chapters! Things will be really picking up in a chapter or two and I really want to make sure Im giving this story the care it deserves <3

Thanks, Ley

Hizashi Yamada was the most levelheaded man Shinsou had ever seen. While his dad was quick to irritate, his papa was always rational and able to determine what was needed to make the situation better.

Eri refused to leave Aizawa. Kicking, screaming, throwing things- the whole nine yards of her tantrums.

Shinsou, who's always embarrassed by his little sisters behavior has never been more grateful for one of her tantrums.

Because he's not sure she could handle seeing their papa panic.

He's not sure how he's handling it himself.

It had already been three weeks since the day the two went home. But whenever his mind wandered, it went straight to that moment.

They'd both expected to see Deku waiting in the living room.

Every light in the house was off. But that quickly changed.

Yamada tore the entire apartment apart. Checking every nook and cranny that even Eri couldn't fit in. Shinsou stood frozen as the man broke down sobbing helplessly as he continued to search.

Deku wasn't there. As if he'd never been there in the first place.

"Toshi..." He blinks, straightening his back before facing the little girl. But the relief from being pulled out of the haunting memory is short-lived when he sees her face.

Her entire body is shaking, her eyes red as she tries to hold back her tears, "I want Papa!"

Instantly, he turns off the stove and removes the pan from the burner so he can go to her.

He scoops her into his arms, squeezing her as tight as he can, "I know."

"I-I'm sorry!" She cries, her volume making his ears ring, "I know I'm a big baby and you don't like it! I'm a scaredy cat and I miss Papa and Daddy and Deku- I want to see them!"

His stomach churns as his heart sinks into it.

It was... too late for him by the time he came to live with his dads. Not just in foster care, but his mom too- being emotional was being weak.

And despite the hero's best efforts, that mindset was slow to change, barely making any progress.

It wasn't too late for his baby sister. Eri didn't have to go through that.

"I'm sorry," he whispers, petting her hair as he walks them over to the couch, "You can cry as much as you want, I'll stay right here."

So he does. Because Yamada isn't there.

That fact was becoming more and more irritating.

Taking care of Eri was easy. When he went out to help patrol and move people in, All-Might watched her while he got out of the apartment. Rebuilding and recovering the city wasn't easy necessarily, but it was manageable.