Keep Hope Alive

Chapter 7- A Home

Izuku didn't understand a lot. He didn't know where his friends were or when he was going back to the big building with the nice lady who smelled like cherries, but he knows that he does like the two heroes.

Eraserhead was sleepy all the time (Izuku thinks he should take more naps) and Present Mic was sad sometimes but Izuku gave him his All Might plushie to keep him safe. He knows All Might will fix it like he fixes everything.

Izuku thinks Eraserhead should learn more things like Izuku's favorite food (obviously blueberries) or that Izuku hates oatmeal because it's too mushy. But he does like bananas. Bananas are yummy.

Speaking of, Izuku is hungry. He sets down his figures on the floor (they're in the middle of battle but heroes need snacks) and walks to the kitchen, where his eyes catch on some bananas sitting on the counter.

Yummy.

Now all he has to do is figure out how to get up there. Izuku really hates how tall everything is. Eraserhead and Present Mic are like giants, and so everything in their house is giant too. Izuku wonders when he will see the magic goose that lays golden eggs. He's not stupid, he's read stories. He knows that all giants must have a magic goose that lays golden eggs.

He will see it one day.

His stomach gurgles and then he remembers- bananas!

How was he going to get those down? He was always told not to climb from the cherry lady, but this was a different time and the cherry lady wasn't here, so he supposes that climbing is okay.

He looked around briefly, Eraserhead was in the garden and he thinks Present Mic went to go pee so he now is as good a time as any.

He grabs onto the chair with his hands, scooches up as much as possible, and then kicks his legs to help propel him forward. Once on the chair, he puts one arm and leg on the table, moves so he's sitting and then,

Mission accomplished.

And there's the banana, yellow and bright and waiting for him.

Izuku moves closer, grabbing at one banana only to find that they're all attached. What?

So he's swinging the whole bundle around, trying to get his one banana and getting increasingly frustrated because it just won't let go. After a few minutes, he concludes that bananas are meanies, but they're also yummy, and he wants one regardless.

"Izuku!"

His head snaps up and he sees PresentMic standing in front of him with a shocked look on his face.

Oh, good. He's back. He can get the banana for him now.

Izuku holds up the bananas for him, a signal that he is hungry and Present Mic should fix his banana. It's being rude and Izuku doesn't appreciate it.

Hizashi sighs. How can he possibly be mad at that face? So he just gets him down from the table, rips off a banana and peels it for his wide-eyed little blueberry.

"No more climbing on the table, okay?"

Hizashi says, holding the peeled banana up in the air. Izuku isn't even listening, just reaching for the banana.

He nods absentmindedly, and Hizashi hands him the fruit.

It earns him one smile and then Izuku is walking away in the opposite direction and Hizashi will forever regret not taking a picture of that smile. His son's bright and happy smile that can put the sun to shame.

—

Izuku finds that after a week and a half, he doesn't need to return to the big building with his friends or to the cherry lady. He still misses them, but living with the two heroes gets better and better every day.