A/N: So I know it's not Christmas yet, but did you really want to wait a month before the next update? Cause I'm trying to stick to my update on Friday thing I've got going on for this story. *Shrugs*
So please enjoy the fluffy chapter. It may or may not be the last bit of happiness before I CRUSH YOUR FEELS. *Clears throat* I mean before the plot moves along a bit more. Hehe~ (If you've read my Hetalia stories, then you'll know the kind of shit you should expect of me by this point.)
I love that everyone's so interested by this story~!
Chapter 7: Christmas
Izuku sighed in contentment. He loved Patrol Nights. He was disappointed that he could only go once a week, but he understood why. It was dangerous, and he wasn't allowed to legally fight. Eraserhead and Present Mic both had to be there in case something unexpected happened and to keep a better eye on him, just in case. They could only coordinate their schedules once every week or so, so that's when they could take Izuku on patrol.
After all, they were literally looking for trouble, which is bad enough as it is, but Izuku's practically defenseless in such a scenario, because he wasn't allowed to fight. You know, legally.
So far, Izuku was doing a very good job at staying out of trouble, and the things he was picking up from these outings were invaluable to him as a future Underground Hero.
Now, he knew how to track people, follow a trail, listen for those tiny signs of trouble, recognize a criminal meetup or hideout, and when someone was acting suspicious. Things that couldn't be taught in a warehouse or through videos. Things that only came with experience.
He was proud of himself, able to move much quieter now, and could even keep pace with Shouta most nights as they ran across the roofs. He wasn't as quiet as his teacher yet, but he was getting there. And his stealth skills were increasing too. The other day, he'd managed to hide in the same room as Hizashi for twenty minutes without being seen, even though he was in a rather obvious spot.
Even Shouta had been proud of him for that.
Izuku no longer fell asleep after a patrol. Not like he did the first time, at least. So even though it was the last hour, nearly 12:30am, Izuku was wide-awake. (And if these patrols happened to reset his sleep cycle to match Shouta's, then the only one annoyed was his mother.)
He pulled his scarf around himself a little more. Shouta had recently been showing him how to use a Capture Weapon like him, and Izuku was thrilled. He was picking it up rather well. Of course, Shouta's scarf was unique, so Izuku was practicing with Shouta's in the warehouse. The one he was wearing right now was just a normal scarf (unfortunately). It was almost Christmas, now, and a thin layer of snow blanketed the ground, as it usually did in the Kanto region of Japan.
Izuku smiled. His stealth training now included hiding evidence of his physical presence, too. So he got plenty of practice in the snow.
Normally, he didn't need to worry too much about hiding his tracks on a rooftop, though. Especially when they were giving chase to someone.
But hiding the crunching of his footfalls in the snow was something he was practicing. It was proving to be a challenge, especially when running. He just didn't understand how Eraserhead could move through snow so silently! Plus, he also had to be careful not to knock snow down into alleyways, alerting criminals to their presence.
Apparently, according to Hizashi, Shouta made that mistake once during his first winter as a pro hero. He still won the fight, but was hospitalized due to a concussion.
Izuku didn't want to see a repeat, so he took the warning to heart. He grinned as Eraserhead finished tying up the muggers and nodded for him to come down.
The green haired youth quickly jumped down from the rooftop, using the nearby fire escape to help him reach the ground safely. It was icy, though, and he slipped a little when he landed. He would've fallen if Present Mic didn't catch his arm.
"Woah. Haha. Steady, there, Little Listener." He chuckled, his warm breath coming out in great puffs.
"Good landing other than the fall. You're getting the hang of this faster than I did." Eraserhead grinned.
"I just have a good teacher." Izuku smiled.
"Mic? Eraser?" A feminine voice called out happily. "Fancy meeting you two out on patrol~!"
"Midnight!" Present Mic grinned, running out to meet her.
"Oh my gosh! That's Midnight! The R-Rated Hero!" Izuku whispered under his breath.
"Of course you know about her." Eraserhead sighed fondly. "She's an old school friend of ours. C'mon, kid. You were bound to meet her sooner or later."
"Really?!" Izuku's eyes shone.
"Yes, really." He smiled back as he ruffled Izuku's hair, knocking off a few flakes of snow.
"I didn't know you two patrolled together?" Midnight tilted her head as she noticed Izuku.
"We do once in a while, for the Little Listener." Present Mic grinned.
"This is Midoriya Izuku, my student." Izuku straightened at his introduction.
"Your... student?" Midnight blinked in surprise. "As in... a personal student?"
"Yep~! I was just as shocked as you at first! But man, has the Little Listener grown on us! Little Zuku's part of the family! Practically a Minizawa in the making."
"Zashi!" Izuku blushed, hiding his face in his scarf much like his mentor.
"Oh my god, he's adorable!" Midnight squealed. "Kayama Nemuri, just call me Auntie Nemuri or Auntie Nem." She grinned.
"I-It's good to meet you... A-auntie?" Izuku didn't know if she really wanted him to call her that, but her expression lit up like a Christmas tree, so he supposed it was what she wanted to hear.
"Why didn't you tell me?! How long have you kept this little cinnamon roll to yourself?!" She demanded, pulling Izuku into a very tight hug.
"Don't suffocate him!" Hizashi cried out, snatching Izuku back.
"I'm allowed to hug my nephew!" Midnight grabbed him again, but Izuku avoided the hands and ran back to Shouta, who shielded him from the two.
"I'm not your tug-a-war toy!" Izuku muttered indignantly. "I'm staying with dad." The words slipped off his tongue with such ease and familiarity that he almost didn't realize what he said. When he did, however, his face heated up with enough intensity that he swore he melted the snow in his hair. Shouta didn't look much better, though he didn't move away.
"D-Dad?!" Nemuri's eyes were wide.
"W-wait! It's not like you think!" Shouta defended himself.
"But Shou, didn't you tell me the other day that he was practically our son?" Hizashi's grin told him he was milking this for all it was worth, and Izuku, despite his embarrassment, decided to add one little thing.
He looked up at Shouta with teary eyes. "You... don't think of me like that?" Part of him was going along with Hizashi, but another part of him was honestly disappointed in the man's rejection.
"I..." Shouta sent Hizashi a fierce glare. "I do think of you as a son, but Nemuri will jump to conclusions." He turned to her, missing the shine of awe and hope in Izuku's eyes. "He's not my biological or legal son. But he is like a son to me. Tell anyone, and they'll never find your body."
Even Hizashi was staring in open shock at Shouta. Izuku never thought he'd hear the day that Shouta would admit something like that aloud. The man ruffled Izuku's curls, and the kid lit up like he'd been given the best gift in the world.
"H-hey! Um..." Izuku shuffled his foot, scuffing the snow. "If you want... you three can join us for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day? I-I mean if you don't have anything better to do..." He trailed off, fighting the strong instinct to mutter.
"We'd love to!" Hizashi beamed.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world, kiddo." Shouta gave him a gentle smile.
"I'll bring lots of presents!" Nemuri bounced in place.
And Izuku's little family grew by one more person that night. The rest of the patrol flew by, and he excitedly told his mother that they were expecting three guests for Christmas this year.
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Inko smiled as she placed the gifts under the tree. This year was a special Christmas, and she wasn't going to go halfway.
"Need a hand?" She whipped around to see Nemuri standing there, fluffy robe pulled tightly to ward off the chill in the small apartment.
"You don't have to, you're a guest." Inko shook her head.
"I feel bad, honestly. Intruding on your family time like this." The other woman admitted.
"Don't... To be honest, Izuku is all I have. And for the longest time, I'm all he's had. After he was diagnosed Quirkless, nobody wanted to even be his friend. His paternal grandparents wanted nothing to do with him, and even his father left." Inko felt tears welling up in her eyes as the other woman hugged her. "I... I know he doesn't say anything... He's such a sweet boy, with such strong heart... But he misses his father. He doesn't even remember him, though. And when... When Shouta and Hizashi came into our lives, it's like everything gained color again. I can't remember the last time I saw Izuku look so happy." She leaned into Nemuri as they sat on the couch. "They've finally been able to give Izuku everything I can't, and... I can never repay them for that. They're family, now. You all are..."
"And what about you?" Nemuri asked, startling Inko.
"What about me?"
"Don't you have any friends?"
"I... Have Mitsuki... she's been my best friend since we were children... Her son, Katsuki, was Izuku's best friend until..." She sniffled. "And Mitsuki and I have... sort of fallen out of contact. I know Katsuki bullies Izuku, though he'll never say it outright. And whenever I told her about it, she'd try to remedy the situation... But I don't want to ruin her relationship with her son when it won't even change anything."
"Do you have anyone else?" Nemuri pushed.
"I have Shouta and Hizashi..."
"Girls." Nemuri shook her head. "When was the last time you had a good ol' girls night out?"
"Um... before I got married, I think?"
"Too long!" Nemuri whisper-shouted. "Hon, you and I are going to have a spa day. We will relax, detox, and recover." Nemuri promised. "You are going to call me all the time and rant about everything that pisses you off. Of course, I'll do the same." She winked, causing Inko to giggle.
"That sounds... nice." She smiled.
"There, now." Nemuri gently wiped the tears from Inko's eyes. "You're much prettier when you smile, Midoriya."
"Call me Inko; Midoriya makes me sound like a stranger." She smiled.
"Then call me Nemuri, or Nem." Nemuri grinned as she helped Inko to her feet. "Come on, now. We need to get these presents under the tree before the reindeer come~! And by reindeer, I mean Hizashi's early rising tendencies."
Inko laughed quietly as the two spent the next twenty minutes chatting about anything and everything they could think about as they readied the gifts for the boys (mostly Izuku).
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Morning dawned bright and cold, and Izuku didn't want to get out of bed. He groaned as someone tugged his covers, wanting nothing more than to curl up and sleep for a year.
"Problem Child. It's Christmas. I thought all kids loved Christmas." Shouta's voice finally registered in Izuku's ears. He poked one eye, rimmed with steadily darkening bags, out from under the dark blue sheets (he'd canned the All Might ones ages ago).
"Christmas?"
"Yes, Izuku. It's Christmas." A smile tugged at the edges of his lips. "Merry Christmas, Problem Child. We'll be waiting for you at the table."
As soon as Shouta left, Izuku was out of bed, getting ready. His room had changed a lot over the last seven months or so. Gone was the endless army of miniature All Mights that used to cover Izuku's shelves and walls with dazzling smiles.
His room now was a soft blue-grey color scheme, with splashes of bright yellow here and there. It was a very subtle tribute to Eraserhead, even though most of his merch now was Present Mic. He had one figure or piece of merch from nearly every hero. He even had a few limited edition Eraserhead items. His black backpack with a yellow goggle-shaped zipper was handmade, and he got most of his favorite Eraserhead stuff from Etsy. He didn't mind spending a little extra to show off his love for his favorite hero, even if it made Shouta blush every time he came into his room.
Izuku came out in his pajamas (as was custom in the Midoriya household on Christmas morning) to see Nemuri and his mother gossiping in the kitchen. Shouta sat at the counter with his morning coffee in cat-themed PJ's, and Hizashi's was covered in little birds.
"Ah, look who's finally awake." Hizashi grinned.
"Morning." Izuku greeted, before gawking at all the presents under the usually mostly bare tree. "Wha?"
"Why don't you come eat breakfast first, then we can all open our gifts together?" Inko suggested, knowing full well that that was the custom in the family.
"H-hai..." Izuku was still baffled. Normally there was no more than five gifts under the tree, tops. They never did big or expensive holidays. They didn't have the money for it. His mother worked very hard to keep the roof over their head and food in their bellies. He noticed a while ago that they weren't hurting quite as badly as they used to, and he suspected that Hizashi and Shouta were contributing to some of their finances, but he never brought it up.
As long as his mother didn't have to work as hard... But he'd never seen so many presents under their tree before. Surely, there had to be some kind of mistake?! Unless Hizashi and Shouta and Nemuri just liked to give each other a lot of things. That could be it.
Breakfast was finished rather quickly and Izuku went over to the presents to start sorting them into piles. When he saw that a majority of the gifts were for him, he gaped at the adults.
"Something wrong?" Shouta asked, a smile playing on his lips.
"T-they say they're for me?" Izuku couldn't convey how strange it was.
"Of course they are! You really thought we wouldn't spoil you rotten?" Hizashi laughed.
"S-spoil?!" Izuku shrieked. "I-I don't need to be spoiled!" He protested. "You shouldn't spend that much money on me! It can go towards better things!"
"Listen, hon, there's no getting it through their skulls. Just smile, thank them and open your gifts." Nemuri advised. "Oh! But open mine first!" She grinned, pointing to a brightly wrapped gift.
From Nemuri, Izuku received a new wardrobe. He wasn't sure what to think. It's not like he really wore much other than his school uniform and whatever he worked out in, but the thought was appreciated. She also got him a very pretty empty picture frame.
"A frame?"
"For your first Christmas photo, silly!" Nemuri grinned, holding up a camera. "After everyone's done opening gifts, I'm going to take a group photo to commemorate our first Christmas together as a family!" Her words made his heart warm.
"Thank you, Auntie!" He smiled, and Nemuri squealed in joy.
"Oh! Open mine, next!" Hizashi was bouncing in his chair.
"No, that's not the order we do this in." Inko corrected. "Since Nemuri's gifts were opened first, then we all open the gifts she gave us. Then we'll all open yours, starting with Izuku." She smirked as he deflated a bit.
"Fine." He pouted, causing Shouta to chuckle.
Inko got a pass for a weekend spa trip from Nemuri, along with some new clothes. She was thrilled, and Izuku couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his mother look so happy.
Shouta received a mug with cats on it, and Hizashi got a new leather jacket.
"All right! My old one was getting cold!"
"Thought so. So I lined this one with Luxe Fleece. It's a winter only one."
"Thanks, Nem~! You rock!" Hizashi grinned. "Okay, okay! My turn!" He bounced again, and Izuku smiled, grabbing the four presents that Hizashi had gotten him. That's too much!
The first one was a new pair of earbuds. He nearly choked when he realized that they were a pair he'd once eyed for their excellent quality, but dismissed because of their outrageous price. He was not going to spend hundreds on one pair of earbuds.
"ZASHI!" Izuku protested. "This is too much!"
"Relax, Little Listener. I know the company that makes them, and got a deal." Izuku relaxed a little, but he still sent him a glare with his heartfelt thanks.
He wanted to retract that when he opened the next gift from Hizashi—a brand new iPod.
"You might want to open the other two before you bite his head off." Shouta smirked, amused.
Izuku obliged, finding a new laptop (and an Apple one at that!), and a 40,000 Yen gift card. ($400). He nearly fainted.
"I can't accept all this!" Izuku said weakly. Inko looked just as shocked.
"I've been saving up money to spoil a kid for years. Please, let me spoil you." Hizashi did not look regretful at all.
Shouta shot him a glare. "You should've considered their feelings first." He muttered to his husband.
"I got excited."
"And a new laptop?"
"His old one is almost ten, Shouta!"
"Take my advice and just go with it. He's never taking it back, so just accept the gift. Trust me, the guy makes a lot between his radio show and his Hero job. He's a popular Limelight hero, so he makes more than six times what Shouta does." Nemuri explained. "If he doesn't spend it on you, it'll just sit in his account and collect dust. Or get spent on Shouta." She snickered.
"T-thank you, Zashi..." Izuku was still numb. He couldn't believe that this new expensive stuff was his.
From Hizashi, Shouta received a new pair of noise-cancelling earbuds to listen to music without interruption (and tune out Hizashi when he got to be too much).
Nemuri received a 20,000 Yen gift card, and Inko was gifted with a new tablet (her reaction was similar to Izuku's).
Shouta's gifts were next. There was only one for Izuku, which made him relieved. Shouta wasn't the kind of person to give things needlessly.
He unwrapped it carefully and opened the lid. When he did, he stared in shocked awe, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I-is this really for... for me?" He choked out, looking up at Shouta with wide green eyes.
"Yes. I had it made just for you, Izuku. You've earned it." He smiled, not even bothering to hide it. He hadn't told anyone what he was getting the kid for Christmas.
Izuku reverently reached into the box, picking up a smaller version of Shouta's Capture Weapon. It was a dark charcoal grey color, as opposed to Shouta's weathered cream. He wrapped it around his own neck, relishing in the familiar weight and soft texture. It felt safe, and warm and it smelled like Shouta. It smelled like his dad.
Hizashi and Nemuri gasped when they saw it, shocked that he'd pass on the knowledge of his own personal tool to anyone, even Izuku.
To Izuku, it was a solid form of proof. The proof of their bond and of his progress. He got up and tackled Shouta in a massive hug, tears spilling onto both of their Capture Weapons.
"Thank you, Dad." He muttered into the man's neck, as Shouta wrapped his arms tightly around him, running fingers through his hair.
"You've earned it, Kiddo." He smiled. He ignored the photo that Nemuri snapped of the shockingly domestic scene. He'd ask for a copy as payment later, but for now, Shouta just wanted to enjoy this moment.
After they were finished, Hizashi opened his gift from Shouta—a new pair of work boots. "I noticed yours were wearing out on you, and you were getting sores on your feet. This should help."
"Thanks, Shou." Hizashi pulled him into a passionate kiss, making Izuku blush and Nemuri wolf whistle.
To Inko, Shouta had gifted her with a handmade recipe book. "It's some old recipes from my family. I never use them, and I know you love to try out new things, so I figured you would like it." He explained, and the woman looked so touched that she pulled Shouta into a hug.
"You're an amazing friend, Shouta." She beamed, and suddenly he knew where Izuku's smile had come from.
He'd given Nemuri a new camera (something he knew he'd regret later). She was ecstatic.
Inko pushed her gift gently towards Izuku. There were several, unlike last year. He was confused. "Go on, sweetie. Open it." She urged, and Izuku couldn't help but notice the holes poked in the gift.
"Is it... alive?" He blinked as he pulled the lid off the box.
"Mrow!" He blinked, green eyes staring into green flecked with gold. A black kitten with white markings around its neck crawled out of the box right to Izuku.
"He's all yours, honey." Inko smiled.
"M-mom..." He stared. He'd always wanted a pet, but he'd never really considered it before. Pets were big responsibilities, and Izuku was planning on being a hero. That was a big enough responsibility in and of itself.
"What're you going to name him, Problem Child?" Shouta raised an eyebrow.
"I could call him Eraser, after you." Izuku challenged, causing Hizashi to chuckle.
What should I name you? Izuku stared at his new companion. He noticed a small white dot on his head. It looked like a snowflake fell and never melted.
Izuku glanced outside, to find snow gently drifting down. "Yuki." He decided. "His name is Yuki." The kitten meowed and curled up on Izuku's lap, seemingly content with his name.
"Seems like he likes it." Shouta agreed.
"Now the rest of you." Inko looked at the others, as Izuku opened the remaining gifts from his mother (all cat stuff).
"You didn't have to, Inko! You're already sharing your home with us!" Hizashi protested.
"If you can buy me a new tablet, and my son a laptop, then I can buy you a gift." She argued, and Hizashi sighed as he took the proffered box.
Excitedly, he unwrapped it, and opened the plain unassuming box. He gasped in glee when he saw a new pair of headphones. They were dark blue along the band, and the inside had a little engraving of Eraserhead's goggles. "These will be added to my Hero Costume!" He proclaimed.
"I'm glad you like them." Inko giggled. "I know someone who owes me a favor or two. They're sound-cancelling, so when you're rescuing someone, you can use your Quirk without hurting them." She explained.
Izuku was surprised that his mother thought so far ahead. Hizashi looked touched, and wiped away a few tears. "Thank you, Inko." He said softly.
"Now open this one." She smirked as she handed him another box.
"Hey, Shou, it's for us both." Hizashi realized. It was light, and thin, like a folder or something. Maybe a photo album?
"Then open it." Shouta glared, though it held no heat.
They carefully unwrapped it, making Inko smile as their faces dropped into shock when they saw what it was.
"What is it?" Nemuri asked, and Izuku watched curiously.
"It's... Inko's cookie recipe..." Hizashi grinned. It was no secret that the rambunctious blond loved baking, and his sweets were probably good enough to open a shop with. But Hizashi couldn't figure out Inko's brilliant cookies. He looked up at his husband to share the excitement with him, but Shouta's eyes were locked on the other paper.
"Her coffee recipe." Shouta loved coffee. And while it's true that, when he's tired enough, he'd drink anything with caffeine, he still fully appreciated and savored a good, premium coffee. And Inko's was some of the best coffee he'd ever had. She always did something to his coffee and no matter what he tried he couldn't figure it out. He considered this a fantastic Christmas gift. Now he could make it at home, and take it with him on patrols.
"Oh, and there's something else for you, Shouta." Inko smiled mischievously, holding out a larger bulkier package that looked soft. Curious, Shouta took it and unwrapped the gift.
Hizashi laughed when he saw the bright yellow sleeping bag. Shouta had always had his dark grey one with him, but it was old and cold and finally ready to be retired.
"You seemed to need a new one, and I noticed how much you seem to like the color yellow." Inko sent a not-so-subtle look towards Hizashi, causing Nemuri to burst out in laughter.
"And for you." Inko rounded on Nemuri. "I know it's not much, but I couldn't do much more on such short notice." She handed her two small packages. One was a pair of beautiful diamond earrings, while the other was a key.
"A key?"
"For the apartment. Hizashi and Shouta already have one, so you should, too." Inko grinned at the baffled look on her friend's face.
"Hahaha... You'd better get used to it!" Hizashi warned Nemuri. "Once Inko gets you in her clutches, you'll never be free." He grinned, ducking under a playful swat from said greenette.
Izuku sat, feeling embarrassed. Everyone had given or gotten each other something so amazing, and... he suddenly felt like his own gifts were inadequate. Less than, because he couldn't buy them things.
Hizashi was the first to notice the gifts. "Oh? What's this?" He reached down. "From Izuku?" He read, looking at the others. "Hey guys, Little Listener got us gifts!" He grinned.
"I... It's nothing special... just..." Izuku turned red, and Yuki meowed for his attention, which he happily gave while hiding his face in his new scarf.
"Anything from you is special." Hizashi corrected, opening his present. It was a beautifully hand carved wooden cockatoo. It was wearing headphones and sunglasses, with little music notes floating around the base. Curled protectively underneath its wing was a tiny fledgling, who was looking up at the cockatoo with adoring eyes. It was colored—white body with a yellow swoop. It wasn't hard to tell who it was. Hizashi's eyes watered.
"Little Listener? Did you make this for me?" Izuku nodded, embarrassed.
"I know it's not well-done, and I'm still trying to get better at carving, but..." He was cut off by Hizashi's hug.
"I love it! It's perfect!" He beamed, and Izuku flushed at the praise.
Hizashi wasn't used to hand made gifts, and he felt they were a lot better than things you buy people. He would've given Izuku something more personal, but the kid needed a laptop, and how was he supposed to give Izuku songs that he'd written for him if he didn't have an iPod to listen to it with?
Nemuri opened hers, finding a carved lioness, curled around her cubs. It was also beautifully crafted and the colors looked professional.
"I... I didn't know what animal to make you, but you came across like a protective mother lion, so... I sorta went with that."
"I love it, Zuku." She smiled, using the nickname for Izuku.
Inko's was of a protective mother bear, curled around a baby bear. Both were painted in dark greens, representing Izuku and his Mother. "I love it, sweetie." She cried in happiness.
Shouta opened his last. It was a cat. A black cat wearing his Capture Gear and a pair of bright yellow goggles sitting on his head. He was sitting, with his tail curled protectively around a smaller, green kitten with a hurt leg. The cat was nuzzling the kitten, his stance protective.
Shouta's came with a small letter.
Merry Christmas, Dad. I want to tell you how grateful I am to have you in my life. That day... That day we met should've been the worst day of my life. But it ended up being the best day instead, because I met you. I'll always treasure our time together, and I know that no matter what, you'll always protect me. You're more than my teacher. More than a mentor. You're the first person I've ever been able to call father. Dad. And I'll love you no matter what. You and Hizashi are the best things that've ever happened to me, and I know it's sappy, and I'm probably regretting writing this right now as you're reading this, but I just wanted to say... Thank You.
Shouta felt the tears run down his face. He was someone that almost never cried. Part of it was his dry-eye. He had a hard time getting tears to come in the first place, even when he wanted to cry. But he was also very in control of his emotions, and able to distance himself from any pain or trauma that would cause such a reaction.
But this was different. This wasn't pain or sorrow or grief. This was love.
The only time Hizashi had seen his husband cry was when he'd proposed. He grinned when he realized that Shouta was crying happy tears, even as Izuku started to freak out.
"I'm happy, Izuku." Shouta explained, a small sniffle accentuating his emotions. Nemuri watched on in awe, having never seen him cry.
"You... are?"
"Yeah. I am. Thank you." He smiled. It was a bright smile, looking so strange on his face, yet so... right, somehow.
Nemuri was quick to snap a photo, especially when Izuku hugged him again.
"Merry Christmas, everyone." Izuku smiled into his dad (because that's totally what Shouta was to him, now, even if he wouldn't always refer to him as such). This was the best Christmas he'd ever had.
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Shouta blinked blearily as he tried to figure out what had woken him up. He was curled up in bed beside Hizashi in the Midoriya Apartment, recovering after some spiked eggnog (no doubt Nemuri's doing). He grabbed his phone to check the time, only to see a missed call from... Tsukauchi?
He quickly redialed the number. The man picked up on the second ring. "Eraserhead, Happy New Year."
"Tsukauchi?" He questioned. The detective wouldn't call unless it was important. "Is there any reason you're calling me at..." He checked the time with a wince. "Three twenty-two in the morning?"
"We've been investigating that attack on Midoriya. The one that those kids you brought in were responsible for?"
Shouta was instantly awake and alert, and his movement had awoken his husband, too. "Did you figure out who sent them to attack him?"
"Not quite, but we have figured out something. Whoever this guy was trying to find through Midoriya, it wasn't you."
Shouta didn't know if he was relieved by that or not. He shared a look with his husband, who he knew heard every word. "If not me, then who?"
"We don't know, yet. The kids didn't know. But from what we could gather, through a memory-searching Quirk, it seemed like he was looking for a villain of all things."
"A villain?" Hizashi echoed. "Why would Izuku know someone like that?"
"We don't know. But it's very possible that he's caught the eye of some very unsavory characters. Judging by the way he phrased everything, the villain this guy's looking for isn't some small-time bank robber. He's a big shot. Someone with a lot of clout in the underworld. And for whatever reason, he had it in his head that this guy would have some kind of connection to Midoriya. I'm giving you two this information to stay on your toes—keep an eye out. I don't think we've seen the last of him."
"Thank you for the warning, Detective." Shouta replied, voice calm and steady as ever, even as his heart fluttered in his chest at the thought of villains coming after his Problem Child.
He didn't really remember ending the conversation with the detective. He stared at Hizashi with a frightened gaze. Frightened and determined. "Izuku's still in danger." He resisted the urge to either pinch the bridge of his nose to stave off his oncoming migraine, or dash to the boy's bedroom to ensure himself that the kid was okay.
"Relax, Shou. We've been preparing him for this, right? To defend himself enough to get away should he be attacked again." He smiled at Shouta, and the darker haired man found his worries quieting down.
"I don't know how you do that." He muttered quietly.
"Hm? Do what?"
"Clam me down, no matter what's going on."
"It's because I loooove you." Hizashi teased, gently poking Shouta on the nose.
"Yeah, yeah." He rubbed his nose absently, trying to stave off the itch left behind by the gentle touch. "I love you too, you overgrown cockatoo."
"Let's try to snag a little more sleep, yeah? New Year, new us, new family of laughter and smiles to look forward to." Hizashi's grin was almost as bright as Izuku's. Almost.
"Yeah... We do." Shouta smiled softly, the thought of having a son (or son-like figure, he supposed) in his life made his chest feel warm and fuzzy. It made him want to smile and laugh. The only other person who had ever made Shouta feel this way had become his husband, and he honestly didn't know where he'd be in his life right now if he had never met Izuku. "A year of family." He smiled softly as he snuggled into his personal space heater.
He subconsciously ignored the tiny niggling in the back of his mind that told him that this happiness wouldn't last.