i didn't mean to go a month without updates? oops, so take this 6k chapter

The next morning, after crawling into his bed that night, Shouta was highly tempted to sleep the morning in, miss class and the meeting with Nezu and just visit his student when he knew his employer wouldn't be there. The comfortable weight of a fluffy cat curled between his shoulder blades as he was sprawled out on his mattress was heaven for the naturally tired man. Not to mention two other furry bodies curled up, entangled in his bed sheets. He'd woken up for perhaps the third time since falling asleep that night - not that he was surprised; he woke up every few hours due to his ever-changing schedule.

The weight of his cat nearly lulled the ravenette back to slumber, not even bothering to check the time as the sleepy fog swirled through his head, and he could feel himself nodding off...

Only for a crash of metal to sound from further in his apartment, a string of loud, English-spoken curses following it. His cats became hyper-aware, the black-grey cat on his shoulders hissing in surprise as she scrambled off her owner in an attempt to hide, stumbling as she was still riddled with sleep.

Shouta sighed, allowing his heavy lids to open, turning on his back to stare at the ceiling.

Not this again.

The erasure hero didn't bother to hurry as he heard someone clambering about within the small apartment still, knowing fully well who it was. He wanted to continue laying here, but he knew the other hero was probably sent by Nezu himself. Of course he was, Nezu wasn't stupid, the principal wasn't stupid enough to not have someone check up on him and make sure he actually went to his job. And the rat just had to pick the most annoying one, the one who just had his way of worming himself into his consciousness and annoy the hell of him.

Eventually, he forced himself up as his two younger cats almost began to wail at whoever was in his kitchen, likely begging for food. Shouta had to get up before the other man spoiled them too much...he wasn't about to change their diet again because of some damn vocal cockatoo.

"I still don't understand how you manage to even get in," Shouta mumbled when he finally made his way into the joint kitchen and living room, rubbing a bit of sleep from his eye as his friend clambered around the small section, cooking something. Pots and pans clanged together as he hurried to clean his mess - and the orange and calico cats swarming by his feet, meowing and demanding food didn't make it any easier for the blonde.

"You keep your extra key under the doormat, Shouta! Of course I got in!" ugh, he sounded too chipper. "Besides, you wouldn't lock out your best friend-"

"Yes. Yes I would." Shouta drawled, rubbing at his scarred elbow whilst Hizashi had the gall to look overly offended. Dramatic much.

"You wound me! And here I am, making breakfast for you-"

"And making sure I go to work because of Nezu, right." But Shouta wouldn't admit that it was nice of the other hero to take time out of his god-awful schedule to make sure his friend got up and out of the apartment.

Hizashi Yamada, aka Present Mic...the loudest man to ever encroach on Shouta's life - day in and day out, over the past sixteen years, they'd somehow managed to keep in contact, and be rather close friends, no matter what Shouta said or did. The two met when the erasure hero had moved into the hero course, and he hadn't left Shouta's side since, unfortunately. He was even worse than his students, half the time.

He was like a tick he couldn't get rid of.

"Oh come on, Sho! He said it's important!"

Shouta rolled his shoulders, feeling them pop with a slight scowl adorning his face, "Well, it is," he states, going to the rickety white cupboard that held most of his dried food. Two cats mewled at his feet, winding around his legs as the man reached in, dragging out a bag of dry cat food. He realised that today was a treat day - the three felines would often get a cooked egg yolk as well as other protein-high snacks to go with their breakfast...but he simply didn't feel like cooking the eggs, nor asking Hizashi.

He could always give them later today for dinner.

"He didn't give me many details," Hizashi mused, keeping an eye on the pans he had atop the stove. "But he did give me a bag to give to you; I left it by the door, he said to take it with you."

Shouta huffed out a breath, scowling lightly. "One of the kids got hurt yesterday at the villain attack downtown."

"Oh! One of the 1-A listeners?"

"Obviously."

"Oh no!" the blonde looked a little worried, and Shouta was amazed they were even friends given the other could get so...emotional. "Are they alright? Who was it?"

"Midoriya. He was stuck right in the middle of it," the ravenette indulged the other, carefully scooping in cat food to their respective bowls. Kaeru, the youngest cat of Aizawa's trio, mrrowed happily as he butted his head against his owners leg before padding to his bowl to eat. The other two cats watched on as he filled theirs up. "A big wolf-looking guy...his mother's probably in intensive care, and he wasn't unscathed either."

"Do you need me to come along?"

"No, no, you probably have a lot of stuff to do - including classes." the man tells his friend, pulling back as all the cats began to munch on their breakfast. "Nezu's dragging me along, not like I had a choice."

"Well, tell Midoriya I hope he recovers well!" Hizashi said, moving to find plates for their food as Shouta snorts.

"He'll be fine. Besides, if you shout it loud enough he might just hear you."

Hizashi splutters, nearly dropping a plate in the process.

By the time the two had finished their meager breakfast of toast and bacon, Hizashi was hurrying the two of them out the door, much to Shouta's chagrin. He'd managed to just remember picking up the bag Hizashi mentioned before he'd locked the apartment and hurried them down the building, likely to drive them to the school.

Midoriya's faded yellow backpack was heavier than Shouta expected, and he had a nagging feeling on what exactly Nezu had gotten it for, and what was in it.

The travel to U.A - thankfully quick, due to Hizashi driving them there, was uneventful, and the cheerful blonde all but shoved Shouta in the direction of his homeroom once the two arrived on campus, his quirk nearly bursting Shouta's ears.

And then he all but skedaddled once they got to the large doorway of Class 1-A.

The erasure hero shifted the backpack off his shoulder, placing it against the wall before he took a deep breath, calm and collecting himself before he all but slammed the door open, right on time as the bell began to ring.

Walking in like he would every other day, his students had quickly scrabbled for their seats, sitting upright as they all watched their teacher make his way to the front podium. All nineteen students were here and accounted for, good.

He quickly droned through the roll-call in his usual tone of voice, ignoring the curious glances towards the one empty desk once he skipped over Midoriya's name. He only had homeroom with the kids for ten minutes a day, and whilst he only had that time - plus the hero classes - with them, he could see, even then, how close the class had become in the few short months.

After he went through the list and marked all nineteen students in attendance, he told them to do whatever they pleased; as long as it was studying for some sort of class, or perhaps looking over some homework that needed to be handed in for the remaining minutes. He looked away with a sigh as Ashido and Kaminari dove for their backs in a flustered hurry. Of course they forgot about homework. Shouta himself had been gearing to rest in his sleeping bag - which he kept under the podium for even the precious few minutes - but a student rose their hand, and the man sighed.

"Yes, Iida?"

"Sorry sensei, but I was wondering if you knew about Midoriya's whereabouts?"

That seemed to garner the attention, once more, of the rest of the class - besides Bakugou, who glared out the window - and Shouta paused, wondering if he should inform the class on what had happened to their classmate. They'd begin to worry, regardless of if he told them or not.

...half-truths would have to be good enough, right?

"Midoriya's currently in hospital, and will be away likely for the rest of the week due to a family emergency," he spoke in his flat tone, seeing several of the students react at once. Several began to whisper about what could've happened, while the others closest to the greenette - Iida, Uraraka and even Todoroki - had expressions growing more concerned at the news. "He's fine, as well as I am aware, and he should be back soon."

"Mr. Aizawa, do you know what happened?" Uraraka asked, round eyes filled with endless worry for her friend.

"Yes, but it will be up to Midoriya, once he gets back, to tell you if he wishes too." He concludes, narrowing his eyes slightly. "And I don't want any of you hounding him, either. His phone is likely broken or confiscated for now, so just let him rest until he comes back."

Iida spoke up once more, his red-blue eyes glinting as he chopped his hands in his usual, 'Iida' fashion. "Sir, do you think it would be possible for us to visit-"

"No, he needs to rest, Iida."

The scowl on his face gave the bespectacled student pause, and he slowly lowered his hand. It was clear more was on his tongue; but given Shouta's tone, he wasn't willing to indulge him on more information. He wasn't all that surprised, either - Iida and Uraraka especially had taken to Midoriya very early on in the year. Of course they were worried about their friend, with no way to contact him and knowing he was hurt.

"If given the chance," Shouta pauses as all eyes turn to him, and he internally slaps himself, "I'll let him know you're all waiting for him to come back. I'm sure he'll be overjoyed."

The tension seemed to seep out of the students at that, and Shouta blinked heavily. Was it too late to go back to bed?

Ah, Nezu would likely drag him along, regardless. The principal was rather cunning like that, always able to get his way.

With the questioning out of the way, and Shouta not willing to give the students anymore details, he watched as they all got to studying or work in the silence, and the man ignored the glare the passed through him from a set of angry, crimson-coloured eyes.

Once the bell rang, signalling the end of homeroom, Shouta gave himself up to his fate, passing by Cementoss, who had the kids for their first lesson. And there, waiting right outside the classroom was Nezu himself. A chipper smile was on the white creature's face, and he held Midoriya's bag in one hand.

"Well, we better get going!"

Shouta only glares at the principal turns, leading the way down the hall, before snorting and following after him.

Just his luck.

They drive to the hospital where Midoriya and his mother were admitted too wasn't too far of a car drive from U.A., Nezu having hired a car to take the two of them there for the sake of saving time via walking or public transport.

Car drives were the worst in Nezu's company, the little white rat never shut up.

Shouta was almost glad to step out of the stuffy vehicle once they arrived, rolling his shoulders as Nezu hopped out the other side, still clutching Midoriya's bag and thanking whoever had driven them. He wondered how much that person got paid for driving the principal of such a prestigious school around.

Has to be a lot if they're willing to deal with him.

As the erasure hero makes his way to the entrance of the hospital, not glancing back, he lets his mind wander and wonders if Midoriya did turn out as well as he hoped he had - the man would admit, maybe he should've tried to see the boy before falling asleep the day before. No doubt the student had been terrified out of his mind.

It also would've meant he wouldn't be here now.

The man could only sigh under his breath, the doors automatically open once they got close enough, and the sterile, bright room assaulting his eyes. He resisted the urge to groan, turning his gaze downwards and glad that, at least, the waiting room seemed to be mostly empty.

Nezu seemed to pay no mind to his employee's reaction, padding over to the reception desk with somewhat of a spring in his step. It wasn't until Shouta trailed behind him, more slowly, that the principal could really say anything. Before the erasure hero knew it, the other man was atop his shoulder, and had gotten the attention of the receptionist.

"Hello! I would like to speak to the doctor in charge of both of the Midoriya's care!" he cheerily states, bringing out his hero license before the woman can speak. "I'm the youngest Midoriya's principal, and Aizawa here is his homeroom teacher, therefor akin to a guardian of sorts!"

The woman's face pulled slightly, looking a tad confused before she looked down at her computer. "I'll call the doctor back - a bit strange, someone came through not five minutes before asking to see the patients. Inko and Izuku Midoriya, correct?"

"Correct."

"I'll call back the doctor in just a moment. Please, take a seat!" the receptionist states, getting out of her chair and giving a short bow before padding off to find whoever was in charge of the two's care. Shouta frowned slightly at the information she had slipped.

Who else was here to see his student?

Nezu didn't seem all that bothered...so he supposed he could let it slide for now. If it was a villain, someone trying to harm his student...well, they'd deal with that when it came to it. If anything, the man perched upon his shoulder looked giddy.

It didn't take long for the doctor and mysterious guest to arrive, and Shouta wishes to any non-existent god to strike him down in that very moment. Why, why him.

"Ah, Principal Nezu, Aizawa! I didn't expect to see the two of you here to early..."

The skeletal, frail blonde scratched the back of his neck nervously from where he stood besides the doctor, whilst a wide grin stretched across Nezu's own face, oblivious to Shouta's own conflict with the situation at hand.

"Ah, I had a sneaky suspicion it was you, Yagi! Makes sense why you called off on work for today."

A bit of blood dribbled out of the others mouth at that comment as he spluttered to deny it, hastily wiping it away with a stained piece of cloth before the doctor cleared their throat, surveying the new trio. "You're all here to see the two patients in question?"

Shouta grunted as the other two spoke their affirmatives, causing the ravenette to have his gaze scorch the spindly form of Yagi. Hold on, why was he here? Especially in his true form...

As far as he knew, the 'true form' was kept an absolute secret from the students, so why...

"If you follow me, I'll lead you to young Izuku's room - his mother can't have visitors, but I will update you on her condition, given that you're all representatives from Izuku's school, and can likely get into contact with another family member." the doctor spoke firmly, his voice breaking the hero from his thoughts as he began to lead the three away. Shouta followed, allowing his gaze to leave Yagi's fidgety one.

All Might - the All Might, here to visit just one student?

How suspicious indeed...

Toshinori felt his lung all but collapse in relief at the breath he was holding in, once Aizawa's burning gaze left the back of his head. The skinny man had certainly not been expecting his arrival, of all things, despite having heard that he was there during the villain attack. That he was there for young Midoriya and his mother.

It was no surprise, given how close he was with the boy, that he had dragged himself here after getting the day off from the principal. He realistically knew there were others kids that needed to be taught, and that he couldn't just blatantly show his favoritism - especially when it came to other teachers - but it was exceedingly difficult, given the connection he had with the greenette. With the boy he had passed One For All to.

When he heard from Naomasa the previous afternoon about the incident, the Symbol of Peace had felt his blood boil in rage, at the thought that someone had specifically targeted his student, his successor - a boy who didn't deserve it, a mere child. It made him feel sick to his rather non-existent stomach whenever he thought of how much pain the boy must've gone through. And not only himself either.

The boy had seen his own mother get hurt in such a way...and they didn't even know if she would survive. Given Aizawa's recount of the events and attack, as well as the wounds...

Well, Naomasa hadn't indulged him on much, but it seemed unlikely.

"What happened to the villains?" His phone cracked dangerously in his heavy grasp, his friend on the other end sounding exhausted.

"Calm down, Toshi," the detective murmured, a hint of his own anger hidden in his tone as he continued. "We only managed to capture two of them, the ones who did the most damage to the two Midoriya's. They haven't woken up yet, but once they do we'll question them on the whereabouts and loyalties of their group."

"I should've been ready to help, dammit."

"You can't be expected to be everywhere," Naomasa firmly states. "It's unrealistic...I know Midoriya is your successor, but you can't protect him from everything."

"He's just a child!" Toshinori insists, and he fights back the urge to bulk up - he needed to save his time.

"I know, calm down." Naomasa pauses for a moment, before sighing tiredly. "I'll send you through what we have on the other villains. You're heading out for patrol, right? I know you'd look for them regardless if I gave you the info or not...but I might as well make sure you're prepared. Just be careful, the remaining villains are rather formidable."

Toshinori can hear the slight frustration seep from the other man, and he affirms that. "Yeah...I might not be able to do much with less than three hours, but I'll try."

For Midoriya's sake, if not his own. A swell of protectiveness rose with the thought of the boy...those villains better hope they never try to target him again; All Might never fought to kill, but for scum that target children...they wouldn't turn out unscathed.

"Anything helps," the detective promises, huffing a breath softly as he looks through the papers on his desk. "...and its best to get these villains off the street. Good luck."

Toshinori hadn't found the three remaining villains, not even a trace, leaving the man extremely frustrated - but also guilty, mostly at himself. If he had been more careful with his time before this - if he was a better hero, if he only listened to take care of himself.

If only he looked out for Midoriya, like his protege needed him to...

And for it to be so soon after the Stain incident, the very same one where his boy had fought and been cornered by a serial killer...!

What a great teacher he had shaped up to be. But he knew that, regardless, the boy himself wouldn't see it that way. So Toshinori had informed Nezu he wouldn't be in the next day, and he made sure he was going to be there for his student.

He just hadn't expected the addition of Aizawa and Nezu himself.

The blonde man bit his lip, resisting the curses that filled his throat as he trailed alongside the principal and his co-worker, the doctor ahead of them getting ready to speak.

"I'll start with Izuku's injuries - on the contrary to how he looked, it isn't anything some TLC can't fix," the doctor mused, waving his clipboard slightly as he read from the papers. "He suffered several broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and his ankle was crushed and completely twisted. He had a gash on his forehead, as well as deep gashes on the side due to the villain he was fighting. We managed to put his shoulder back into place, and thanks to Recovery Girl showing up earlier this morning, the ribs and his temple wound were both fixed. Due to the severity, we decided not to have her heal all that much with her quick since we'd prefer for him to be rather lucid. He did show signs of a concussion, and the symptoms will likely stay with him for a while, they might even suddenly appear in the form of painful headaches weeks, maybe even months from now."

The man shifted through the paperwork, droning on. "We stitched together the wounds on his side, and had to take him to surgery for his ankle. It's been set back correctly, but we did have to put in a metal plate and several screws due to how crushed his talus was. Depending on any future growth spurts, he might have to come back for further surgery - but I think it will be unlikely. We also gave him a blood transfusion, and of course, pain medication. He's pretty dosed up right now..."

"How did he act after all the adrenaline faded out?" Aizawa asked, and Toshinori swore he could predict a bit of a caring tone in the mans usual deadpanned voice.

"He was panicking and hyperventilated on the ambulance, they had to put him on oxygen when he passed out. But this morning he seemed better, still a little worse for wear."

Something close to guilt seemed to pass across the younger heroes features - but he quickly covered them up, and with prompting the doctor carried on.

"Apart from the ankle needing to heal and the stitched up gashes in his side, he's pretty fine for the most part. We'd actually prefer to get him out today if we can; although he'll have to stay off the ankle for a fair while. We just need the possibility of a concussion to pass for a few days before Recovery Girl can use her quirk again."

"We'll keep that in mind." Nezu promised, no doubt filing it away. "And what about Ms. Midoriya? What can we know about her condition?"

Although none of the heroes could see the doctor's face, he hunched his shoulders slightly, a sigh escaping him that sounded rather grim. Toshinori bit his lip, although the sinking stone in his abdomen told him what they were about to find out wasn't good in the slightest.

"I...I'm afraid Ms Midoriya doesn't have a good prognosis..."

Crisp air slowly blew in from the open window, dull morning light spilling across the walls, the curtains from the window gently billowing in the light breeze. It was still rather early - although from where he lay on the bed, he couldn't really see the time on the clock. His vision remained still blurry from sleep, his mind still filled with fog.

Scarred hands slowly moved across the thin white blanket, grasping the edges as he pulled it up tighter around himself, grimacing as the light breeze sent a shiver through his body. Izuku sighed.

The oxygen mask felt snug across his jaw, and he huffed as he laid his head back on the pillows beneath his head, eyes drifting across the side of the bed, before finally landing on his ankle which had been previously twisted. It was the only thing in a cast; he should be thankful for that, at least. He was sure it would be hurting more...it was probably the painkillers.

Or so he hoped, and not his shot pain tolerance.

His green eyes slid close, exhausting still heavy bone-deep in his body as his hands stilled, his breath fogging up his oxygen mask as he listened to the quiet sounds of the machine besides him beeping. From what he'd been told before, it was just keeping track of his vitals and blood pressure.

That'd be a talk; especially given that it was Recovery Girl who had seen to him that morning. She hadn't been that pleased to see him of all people.

"Why does it always have to be you, hm?"

A tired grin split across Izuku's face as Recovery Girl used the remote to lift the top half of the bed, the boy not defending himself, much too tired and out of it. A scowl was scrawled on the old lady's features, but given the circumstances of the day before she supposed she couldn't blame him entirely.

"Hi, Recovery Girl..."

She gave somewhat of a slightly fond sigh, tapping the boy on his uninjured arm. "You're gonna give Aizawa and Yagi grey hairs before the end of your first year, young man."

"...'m sorry," his words slurred, raising his hand to wipe at his sleep-filled eyes as the nurse quickly checked the vitals before deciding on how much her quirk could take effect - his arm had been put back in place already, and he'd already had his surgery, given the fresh cast on his ankle.

"Not your fault I suppose, deary. It's not like you specifically went looking for trouble." she states, fixing up his blanket whilst she was at it. "How is the pain?"

"Kinda muddled..." although the teen winced as he tried to sit up more, the older lady smacking his head gentle and chiding him to stay still at the movement. "Everything aches..."

"I'll tell the nurses to give you stronger painkillers," Recovery Girl tells him, leaning forward and planting a kiss on his forehead. "My quirk can't do much, we'll need your ankle and side wounds to heal on their own for a while, but your ribs should be fixed and the gash on your temple will scar."

Izuku relaxed in the familiar warmth the nurses quirk provided, feeling the skin on his temple stitch itself back together as the woman stepped back. "Thanks."

In his foggy, muddled brain, the boy almost forgot about who else was in the hospital, and despite the fact that it was the cause of at least half his prior panic. Seeing the nurse step away, the greenette turned his head, messy bangs nearly covering his eyes. "Recovery Girl...do you know what's going on with my mum?"

The boy didn't like the slightly sad, grim look that passed her features, trying to figure out how to break the news to the injured boy before her...

The bedsheets beneath Izuku scrunched up in his fists, knuckles turning white as he felt the familiar burn of tears in his eyes. The boy mentally scolded himself, moving his arm, much too heavy, to cover his eyes as he bit back a soft sob.

Idiot, don't cry, he thought, squeezing his eyes shut, it could be worse, she could be dead.

But was this really any better?

He was suppose to be a hero, wasn't he? All Might had given him this quirk, this gift, and what had he managed to do with it? Nothing! He hadn't managed to protect the person most important to him!

What if All Might saw his failure - saw how incompetent he was, and asked for the quirk back? What if he wanted to give One For All to someone else, leave him quirkless with his dream and family torn apart in front of him?

He wouldn't blame All Might for leaving him and turning his back. Almost everyone had done the same before, when worthless Deku had been announced quirkless, useless, just another pebble on the side of the road.

Izuku gritted his teeth, chest feeling tight as the machine besides him began to beep in an irregular pattern. He exhaled, willing himself to calm down.

Don't think like that.

The boy was jolted out from his self-deprecating thoughts as the door to his room was opened, and a flurry of footsteps before someone stood over him, worried but also professional. He looked up in shock.

"You need to calm down, Izuku."

The shrill beeping of the machine invaded Izuku's ears and as the doctor settled his warm hands on his shoulders, Izuku sucked a breath in, a few tears escaping his eyes, but the doctor helped him through calming down. He didn't remember the mans name, only that he had been in charge of his care.

"S-sorry..."

"No need to apologize," the doctor cuts him off softly, smiling as the boy calms down, and the machine goes back to a consistent pattern. "I don't blame you for panicking, you've gone through far too much over the past twenty-four hours. Not to mention that the pain medication will make you feel much more emotional."

Izuku couldn't help but wetly chuckle at that; he was always emotional.

"Anyway, you have some visitors here to see you, if you're up for it."

He couldn't help but tilt his head, almost like a confused puppy - who could be visiting him? He and mum didn't have any other family around... "I...sure, I should be fine," he finally agrees, and the doctor nods, patting his shoulder before striding out of the room. Izuku didn't get a moment to himself before the door opened once more, now more hesitently, and he spluttered.

"A-All Might?!"

"My boy!" the skinny blonde was quickly at his successors side, worry etched on his face. "Are you alright?"

"As good as I can be..." Izuku replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck - and as All Might moved to the side, his eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the two other visitors. "Mr Aizawa?! P-Principal Nezu?!"

"Midoriya," his tired-looking homeroom looked as unamused as always. "I hope you're feeling better than you were yesterday."

Izuku flushed at that, remembering how he'd basically clung to the other man, even through the daze his frantic mind had been in. "Thank you for being there, Mr. Aizawa..."

"Don't thank me." the man grunted, although his tone wasn't mean. "I was there too late to help that much - you did a good job hanging on."

Izuku blinked, mind blank at his teachers words - something that sounded like a sort of compliment, if it was coming from the erasure hero, so hard to impress inside and out of class.

Nezu hopped down from Aizawa's shoulder, hefting Izuku's backpack on the bed, and the teen looked surprised. "Principal Nezu...?"

"I had a teacher go to your apartment and get your necessities, seeing as its likely you won't be able to go home for the week. I figured you would prefer something other than hospital clothes," the hero stated, looking at the greenette. "Has the doctor informed you of your mothers condition?"

Izuku's gaze faltered, and the student glanced off to the side. "Yeah..." he murmured, feeling the sorrow from before start to crawl up his throat. His failure.

His mother was on life support - and according to the doctors, the chance of her waking up on her own, and being able to live a normal life...

"We've been doing our best to contact your father, but have yet to get through," despite the closed off look in the boys stature, the principal continued. "They can't decide anything about her health until he gets here, or if too much time passes..."

"I, uh...he-he might be more willing to answer from my number..." the boy mumbles meekly, blinking away budding tears. He feels All Might place a hand on his shoulder. "My phone's pretty destroyed...but the screen still works." The curly-haired boy looked at the bedside table, where the shattered black device lay. "He's usually pretty stingy with who he answers..."

It's Aizawa who reaches over, a gentle hold on the cell before he nods. "Nezu and I will step out and call him, then we'll be back and let you know of your options on where to stay. Without either of your parents, it'd be irresponsible for us to return you to your apartment alone."

Izuku bites his lip, giving a slight nod and watching as the two quietly step away out the room, Aizawa looking more hesitant as the door closes behind them. Now all that remains is Izuku and All Might.

Izuku gently grasps his backpack, pulling the faded yellow bag closer and wrapping his arms around it, burying his face into the top and sighing. His mentor, not having spoken, moves to sit on the side of the bed close to the boy, his hand a comforting weight. "You'll bounce back, Young Midoriya."

"Y-yeah." the boy murmurs, voice cracking as his eyes begin to sting more and more from the onslaught of soon-to-be tears, sniffling as he refuses to look up at the man. "But she might not."

"...Young Midoriya, it's not your fault."

"Sure feels like it is," the boy whimpers, shaking his head. "Y-you gave me this quirk and I couldn't do anything. My mum got impaled and I was out before I could even help her!"

Izuku doesn't look up, but feels All Might's arms wrap gently around his form, a hand resting in his curls and all but pulling the boy into his side whilst being careful of his injuries. Despite the skinniness of his true form, All Might himself was rather warm. It only served to make Izuku want to cry more.

"It's not your fault," All Might repeats more firmly, yet somehow still gentle as he cards his fingers through his protege's hair. He sighs softly, seeing the boy doing his best to hold off his sobs. "You managed to hold off that wolf villain until Aizawa could apprehend two of them. You were still a hero yesterday, Young Midoriya, and I don't want to hear you doubt yourself when it comes to your own skill. You're a child - you can't hold this weight on your shoulders."

"But..."

"No - you're allowed to feel sad, but this fault lies in the hands of those villains, and we promise to apprehend them all, alright?" Izuku feels his throat and nose clog up, finally looking up to see the other smiling down at him sadly. "You're allowed to cry, because it's alright. We're here." he said with confidence, even putting in a little bit of his 'Number One Hero, Symbol of Peace' persona into his booming voice, hoping to make the boy feel even a little bit better, and safer.

That set off the waterworks, and with a wail, the boy clung to his mentor's shirt, burying his head into his side as the sobs and cries finally shook his small frame, letting everything he had bottled up, out.

It made the haunting possibility of loosing everything, just a little bit lighter.

Shouta lowered the phone, the call having gone through, and he looks at Nezu with a raised eyebrow as the two stood in the hospital hallway, just outside Midoriya's room. "Hisashi Midoriya should be arriving in Japan by the earliest, Wednesday." he informs the principal, the call with Midoriya's father having finished with the fire-breathing man promising he'd be there as soon as he could catch a flight.

Nezu nodded, ears twitching in what could be described delight. "I'm glad he finally picked up. It will do good for the youngest Midoriya to have his father's support." he chirped, crossing his paws behind his back. "On the topic of the youngest, given that he needs to rest, I was thinking it might be best for him to be signed out of the hospital, just until his father comes and can take him."

"Hm, not a bad idea...it might leave him with bad thoughts, if he's in such an empty place close to his injured mother," Shouta slowly agrees, having the inkling of a feeling that he knows where this is going. "but he can't go back to his apartment. Where will we situate him?"

"Why, you of course!"

The black clothed man nearly did a spit-take, staring at his much shoulder employer, who was at the perfect kicking height. "Excuse me?"

"Well, he's in your homeroom, Aizawa! What better person to go with than someone who is the closest person to a guardian he has?"

"I can't take care of a child." Shouta sounded scandalized, in absolute shock.

"But Aizawa, you take care of children every day!" Nezu insists. Shouta has never wanted to throttle him more before than he did now.

He couldn't be left with the problem child!

"I only take care of their homeroom and a lesson - you're asking me to take full care of an injured Midoriya-"

"-which shouldn't be much of an issue," Nezu cuts in calmly. "It will be, as you said, until the earliest on Wednesday. Until his father arrives."

The erasure hero resists the urge to gesture wildly with his hands to try and get his point across, not wanting to hit a passing nurse as he lowers his voice to a harsh whisper. "What about All Might? He seems to adore the kid, give Midoriya to him!"

"While that wouldn't be a bad choice, All Might is the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace. If the media catch him with a child - one of his students, no less - imagine what they'll spread? You know as well as I do that the media loves to stir up rumors, and much of Yagi's life is still rather private. It might's get in the way of Midoriya's recovery if he's put into the spotlight."

Shouta tries glaring at the other man, but knows that once Nezu's made up his mind, it was rather futile to get him to see any other way. "...what about work."

"You will only be required at the school for homeroom - after that, you're let off so you can make sure Midoriya settles in! He should be fine in your home for thirty minutes without you. As for hero work, since you patrol at night, I see no issue on why you can't continue that when the boy is asleep."

Shouta groaned, holding his head in his hands. "You damn rat." he grumbles, giving up to his fate. "If he breaks anything-"

"I think Recovery Girl will get to both of you before anything happens to me, Aizawa!" Nezu replies with mirth, amused, knowing he's won the argument. "So you better hope he doesn't break anything bodily."

Shouta wasn't getting paid enough for this. He definitely wasn't paid enough.