After a gruelling week straight of being on standby for the agency, Shota's day off rolled around like a God-send. In the spirit of family bonding time (and preventing Hitoshi from climbing the walls), he and Hizashi had decided to take the tiny trouble maker to the park for the afternoon to burn some of that seemingly endless energy.
Two short years had passed since Shota signed the final papers for Hitoshi to officially become an Aizawa. He hadn't grown much over the last couple years, still only brushing Shota's hip, but his hair had slowly developed from a manageable frizz to wild waves now touching his shoulders. Hizashi joked that all his height went to his hair, but Shota was starting to think he wasn't that far off the mark.
But despite the years spent under the Aizawa roof, Hitoshi's Quirk was still a topic left relatively untouched. They prodded at it occasionally, trying to coax him to use it so they had a better idea of what they were dealing with, but even for being as young as he was Hitoshi had incredible control over his power - more control than Shota saw in most adults.
Starting school had been an entire fiasco none of them were really ready for. Hizashi had said he was prepared for the emotional ordeal, but it was Shota who'd ended up taking Hitoshi school supplies shopping when the blond couldn't manage the simple task of walking out the door without tears in his eyes, muttering things about how they grow up so fast.
And don't even get him started on the first day of school.
But all in all, the years had passed by in a purple blur, and Shota was left wondering where the time had gone as he and Hizashi held Hitoshi's hands as they crossed the road to the park. When they passed through the gate the kid bolted for the sandpit, leaving the adults to find their own way to a bench. The playground was quiet that day, the serenity in the air easing the tension from Shota's shoulders. Hizashi's hand found its way into his, their fingers intertwined as they talked about everything and nothing all at once.
"Dad! Pa!"
The shout came not long after, followed by the light thunder of feet on grass. They looked up, mad purple hair sprinting towards them, a flash of hair blonder than Hizashi's just behind.
"I made a friend!" Hitoshi beamed, hopping on the spot as he caught his breath. Shota looked over at the other boy, then scanned over the rest of the playground. Where were this kid's parents?
"I'm Neito and I'm Hitoshi's best friend!" The boy placed his hands firmly on his hips and puffed out his chest.
Hizashi chuckled. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Neito." He said, smiling softly at the boy. The kid had a couple of inches over Hitoshi, but the same roundish cheeks and excitable energy had him guessing they were the same age.
"Say, Neito, is there anyone looking after you?" Shota asked, looking around the park. He couldn't see any other adults frantically looking for a runaway child. Not even a senior citizen searching for a grandchild.
"Nope! I ran away!" A proud smile spread across Neito's face, head lifted high; the perfect picture of pride.
"Dad, he said he's been planning to escape for ages! It worked!" Hitoshi's hands curled into excited fists, pumping the air. A frown pulled down the corners of Shota's lips. He exchanged a brief glance with Hizashi, finding the same look of concern written into his features. A kid this age shouldn't be out alone to begin with, but to have them runaway? Shota saw red faster than he moved when Hitoshi nearly fell off the kitchen counter.
Taking a breath, Shota pushed off the bench and crouched in front of Neito. "Can you tell me where you escaped from?" He asked, desperately trying to recall what the protocol was for lost children. It was look for the guardian, right? Or... was it take them somewhere safe? God, Shota could feel his years of Hero training slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.
"I think Miss Lucy calls it a 'Children's Home', but I dunno." Neito shrugged. Shota shot Hizashi a pointed look at Hizashi.
"Do you know where it is? We should really take you back before the grownups get worried." Shota suggested, relaxing slightly as Hizashi's hand rested on his shoulder.
"No!" Neito wrapped his arms around Hitoshi. "I don't wanna!"
"Can you tell us why?" Hizashi butted in, joining Shota on the ground.
Neito brought his lip between his teeth and chewed, keeping his eyes down. "The kids are mean." He finally murmured.
"Have you told Miss Lucy?" Shota asked. If the kid was being bullied, the caretakers should have dealt with it. He felt a surge of anger flare up; the same kind he'd felt when he'd found Hitoshi, alone and scared.
"No..." The blond kicked at the dirt.
"Why not?" Hizashi chipped in again, hand coming up to subtly rub between Shota's shoulder blades, keeping his quiet fury at bay.
"'Cause Ben said I would be a tattle-tale if I did." Then he added, "And nobody likes a tattle-tale."
Shota sighed, shifting on his feet until he was sat fully on the dusty patch of dry grass. "Okay, boys, why don't you two go play for a little bit?" Hitoshi and Neito giggled as they ran off, this time to the swings. Shota leaned back against the seat of the bench, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"They get on well together." Hizashi eventually broke their silence, sitting beside him.
"Yeah." Shota muttered.
"We need to take him back."
"I know."
"I wonder what his story is."
"I don't know."
"Shota?"
"Hizashi." Shota kept his eyes fixed firmly on the boys, wondering how he didn't notice Neito earlier. The kid's energy was unparalleled to the other children lingering around the playground.
"Shota, I know that look."
Shota turned to glare at his boyfriend. "What look?"
"It's... It's the same look you had when you wanted to adopt Hitoshi." Hizashi said quietly.
Shota's head snapped towards him. "What?"
"I'm just saying." Hizashi shrugged, averting his gaze. "Sometimes... the choice isn't that hard to make."
"How can you make a decision like that in, what, twenty minutes?" Shota asked, bewildered by the spontaneity.
"Didn't you do the same thing two years ago?" Hizashi smirked. He was right, of course. Deep down, Shota had known from the moment he found Hitoshi that he wanted to bring him home. He saw a lot of himself in the boy, from his love for cats to his introversion to his quiet passion to help people.
"Boys!" Shota called, "We should get going now."
*******
After much protesting from Neito, they had finally found out the name of the children's home he came from. As they made their way back, Hizashi bought ice creams for Neito and Hitoshi. But the closer they got, both Pros notices how increasingly miserable the little blond boy became, and it was when they reached the front doors that he gripped onto Hizashi's hand. Shota and Hizashi exchanged another look as they entered the building.
A woman on the front desk looked up and released a breath of relief when she saw Neito, still clinging to Hizashi's arm. The panicked rose to her cheeks spread down her neck and rushed out from behind the desk.
"Neito!" She exclaimed, exasperated, "We've been worried sick about you. Honestly, I told you not to try running off again." She shook her head at him, then turned to Hizashi and Shota, "Thank you for bringing him back. He's always trying to run off."
"Have you ever stopped to consider why he runs off?" Shota snapped; Neito stepped closer to Hizashi.
The woman blinked at him. "Excuse me?"
"It's your job to look out and care for these children." Shota got up in her face, looking down his nose at her. "If one of them has a problem, you're not paid to ignore it. You deal with it."
"Well, I-" She started, but Shota just cut her off.
"Instead of arguing in front of the children, may we please have a word with you in private?" He asked, struggling to keep his voice calm.
The woman sniffed, "Yes, of course. Let me take Neito through to the playroom first, then we can talk." She nodded and reached for Neito's hand. The boy looked up to Hizashi, who gently urged him to go with her. Neito and the woman disappeared through the door a moment after, the boy looking over his shoulder all the while in a silent plea.
"Hitoshi," Shota dropped to a crouch in front of the boy, who was looking sadly in the direction where Neito had disappeared to. "Can we ask you something? It's very important that you tell us the truth." Hitoshi pulled his attention away from the door, but an open sadness clung to his eyes. He nodded. "How would you feel if... if Neito came to live with us?"
Hizashi chuckled when Hitoshi's face lit up, running a hand through his hair.
"You mean we could play everyday?" He asked, face bright with possibility.
Shota nodded, "Yeah, and he would share your room until we could get him his own. He'd be your brother." Shota didn't think Hitoshi's smile could get any wider, but this boy would forever surprise him.
"Yes!"
Shota stood up and nodded to Hizashi. At that moment, the woman appeared at the door again.
"Right then," She brushed down her skirt, "What can I help you gentlemen with?"
*******
After a mountain of paperwork and half a year to process it all, Neito was finally coming home with them. Shota and Hizashi had kept Hitoshi home from school for the day so the three of them could go meet him together.
The past months had granted them enough time to prepare Hitoshi's room for their new arrival. His bed had been pushed against the left wall so Neito's could be against the right, the toy basket had doubled in size, and enough space had been made in the closet for Neito to have his own wardrobe.
When they had pushed the doors to the children's home open for the last time, Neito was sitting on a chair next to the front desk, a small backpack resting at his feet. When he noticed them, he grabbed his bag and threw it on as he bounded over to them. He and Hitoshi collided into a hug halfway.
On the way home, Hitoshi chatted about their shared bedroom and how he would need to introduce Neito to their old cat, Robert. It had also been decided that Neito would start at Hitoshi's school the following week, which gave him a few days to get used to his new home. Hitoshi was excited to have someone to play with in school, and Neito was looking forward to going to an actual school, rather than the lessons they used to have at the children's home.
When they got back to their apartment building, Hizashi noticed Neito fiddling with the straps of his backpack. Shota had grabbed Neito's suitcase and had already started towards the main entrance, Hitoshi dutifully helping by holding the doors.
"You okay there, lil' listener?" Hizashi asked, squatting to his height.
"Nervous." Neito whispered, striking blue eyes flicking wildly between his new home and Hizashi.
"I understand, but it's okay. Nothing to be scared of."
Neito nodded, though didn't look convinced. "What if I get lost on the way up?" He stared up at the thirty-story building, panic starting to set on his face.
"You want me to carry you? Then if we get lost, we'll be lost together." Neito nodded. Hizashi hoisted him up onto his hip, carrying him through the door and into the lift where Shota and Hitoshi were waiting.
"All good?" Shota asked.
"All good." Hizashi smiled.
*******
Neito stuck by Hitoshi's side for the rest of the afternoon and evening. As it turns out, Neito and Robert get along very well, and Hitoshi announced that Neito should have his own cat since he had claimed Robert as his own - to which Shota muttered "but Robert is mine" to himself. It was at that moment Shota decided to get them both cats.
They'd be needing a bigger home soon, he had as an afterthought.
After they had brushed their teeth and were about to climb into bed, Neito wandered out into the living room where Hizashi was folding a pile of laundry.
"Excuse me." Neito murmured, playing with the hem of his new pyjama top.
"Is everything okay?" Hizashi asked. In the background, he could hear Shota trying to explain to Hitoshi that, even though Neito wasn't going to school the following day, he would still have to.
"Yeah, I just..." He exhaled sharply, a look of determination causing him to frown. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around Hizashi in a tight hug. "Thank you." He said, voice muffled by the Hero's sweater.
Hizashi smiled, hugging him back, "Of course. I hope you're happy with us." He said, just as softly. Neito nodded as he pulled away. "Sleep well." He said as the boy turned away.
"Night, Pa." He said quickly as he scurried off to bed.