"Are you sure? Taking care of him will be a big responsibility. Plus, you are a full-time hero. Your ranking will be strongly affected." Izuku looked between his teacher and the front seat. "I don't care about ranking, as long as I can save people, ranking is something I don't bother with."
"If you say so. I will discuss the request. But don't expect much."
The rest of the ride to the station was quiet. Izuku held the boy in his arms, stroking the blond hair. 'He was so cold.' Izuku thought as his hand moved from the boy's head to his shoulder in a comforting way. He didn't miss the light flinch, lifting his hand back to his hair. After a while, he could feel the boy lean into the touch, and for some reason, that alone made him very happy.
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They finally arrived at Shikuzu station. The place was large and full of working people even at midnight. The building looked old, except for the big windows on the second floor, making it look more modern. The first floor didn't have windows and the plaster on it was white but already demolished. Sadly, there were no trees around, making the place look dull, only a large parking lot.
Izuku got out of the car first, while the boy was still in his arms, looking adorable in Izuku's opinion. Aizawa opened the main door for them, waiting for them to walk in, and then headed to find the right people.
After a while, his teacher came back with two policemen and a detective which he already knew.
Tsukauchi Naomasa. A tall man with short, black hair and black eyes. Toshinori told him a lot about how that man helped him. He was hoping the man can do the same with this case.
The detective started leading them into one of the interrogation rooms. Izuku took a seat on a comfortable couch, listening, and watching as they prepared their next move. They talked for a bit. The detective asked him questions about the mission before their conversation shifted to the guardian thing. As promised, Aizawa mentioned his request.
"Are you aware of the risk? You will have to be with him at all times. The league will surely be targeting you and many more." Izuku, with a confident voice, answered. "I'm aware of the risk, and that's one of the reasons I want the boy in my care." Naomasa looked at the blond, trying to read him. There was no emotion on the boy's face, at all. He looked numb to the word. "Boy, can you tell me your name?" No answer, the kid didn't even look at him when he spoke, so he continued. "Are you alright with this man, " he pointed at Izuku, "taking care of you?" Again, no answer.
Izuku thought for a while, remembering the attack just a while ago. Dabi called him Seventeen, and the boy reacted to that. He glanced at the detective and then back at the boy, hesitant with his next choice. "Seventeen... " He called out, and just like that, the boy looked up at Izuku as if awaiting orders. The detective looked shocked and stared at Izuku for answers. "One of the league members, I think his name was Dabi, said this number, and the boy reacted. I guess that's how they were calling him."
With a nod, Naomasa moved to kneel in front of now called Seventeen. "Seventeen, can you tell me your name?" The boy looked at Naomasa and after a few more seconds, he shooked his head no. "Why not?"
He didn't get an answer. With a sigh, the detective got up and moved to get some papers. "He will be put under your care. I'm still going to put guards around your apartment. If something happens, please let me know immediately."
He placed the papers in front of Izuku. "And I want this operation to be held quietly, so please, restrain yourself talking about this." Izuku read the papers carefully, his eyes moving just to glance at the boy, only to notice red lines on the back of the boy's neck. They would have to go to a doctor after this.
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The papers were signed. Naomasa explained more rules and precautions before they were free to go. Izuku told Aizawa about the doctor's check, and the man gladly agreed to drive them to the hospital.
Shikafu was a brand new hospital in the city. Izuku didn't have a chance to visit the place yet, but he heard it was huge. When they arrived, there were no cars around, which was surprising considering they were in a hospital. On their way to the main door, Izuku noticed an incredible garden around the clinic. Even at night, you could see all the vivid petals of all kinds of flowers. They even had roses, his favorite.
As they stepped in, doctor Garaki Kyūdai greeted them. The doctor was an older man with a short height who was completely bald and had a large, bushy mustache.
Aizawa told him the situation and insisted on staying with them, which Izuku didn't mind.
They entered a small hospital room with a hospital bed in the middle. It looked modern, the devices around clear and simple looking.
"Please take a seat. Oh, and can you place the boy on the bed?"
Izuku did as told and put the blond on the bed, but he didn't leave his side, unlike Aizawa, who tiredly set on one of the chairs on the side.
The doctor didn't seem to mind. "Could you take his shirt off?" "Why?" It was an immediate response. His teacher raised one eyebrow at him while the doctor stopped in his movements.
'Shit, did he seriously got jealous of a doctor? Get a hold of yourself, Izuku!'
"To take a look at his injures?" The blush on his ears was very visible, but the only one who noticed was Aizawa.
"Yes. Of course." Without other words, Izuku pulled the shirt down, only to reveal many scars. All of them looked painful, some old, some new. Even the doctor looked startled. Most of the marks were on the boy's back. They were long and deep, some red and fresh.
Mr. Garaki quickly disinfected them and wrapped them in bandages. Izuku hated that the doctor touched him, as stupid as it sounds, it didn't feel right.
The doctor checked other places for any other injuries, finding out the boy's legs had a few scars that had to be taken care of too as well as some bruises.
"The scars on his back have to be oiled with this medicine every day. And the bandages have to be replaced three times a weak. That would be all. Come back after a month, so I can see the process of healing."
The doctor handed Izuku a small bottle of something and then moved to tidy up the tools. Izuku helped to dress the blond back into his shirt and told Aizawa they could leave.
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Izuku's home was far away. It wasn't anything huge, but it served its purpose right. He lived on the fifth floor of a small building in an area that people wouldn't suspect a hero to live in. Homes around here were old looking, and almost everyone had a small garden or plants, including Izuku. His apartment had a balcony where he planted all kinds of flowers and useful plants. Just looking at it from the car window made him sigh in relief.
He thanked Aizawa for the ride and assured him that if something happens, he will be the first one to know.
Izuku carried the boy up the stairs and until they reached his apartment door. He could feel the tiredness kicking in as he started unlocking the door. He kicked it open since his arms were full and walked in, a gentle warmth embracing him. Finally, he could put the boy on the ground since it was heated without a worry. He took off his black coat, hung it on the wall, and moved the boy into his bedroom. Since he didn't have any old clothes, he had to use his own. The closet was swung open, as he started looking for the smallest T-shirt he had.
The smallest one he found was a black one with a logo of some kind of ad company. 'It will have to do for now.'
The black T-shirt was put aside for a while.
He needed to strip himself first, putting on pajamas. Then, he turned to the boy, gently undressing him as well. Izuku couldn't shake the weird feeling in his chest while doing it. It made him feel like a villain, so he pushed the feeling down, and dressed the boy in the black shirt. Even though it was his smallest shirt, it was still too long, reaching exactly to the boy's knees. A red blush spread on his cheeks as he looked away.
They would take a shower tomorrow since he didn't have the energy right now. He thought, already making a schedule in his head for tomorrow.
He owned a double bed since he liked to spread a lot. But he wasn't sure if he should move to his couch or stay with the boy.
The league might try something so it would be better if he stayed.
He pulled the boy on the bed and covered him with the sheets. The boy moved to the side, but his eyes never left Izuku. It was the first thing the small one did on his own. Izuku laid next to him, turning to face the blond, smiling at him."Good night."
A/N I wanted Katsuki to be called Seventeen because that's his seating arrangement number.
At first, I had no idea which one to choose so I made my decision based on that.