Chapter Text
Shinso is changed into his gym uniform and waiting for Eraserhead at the front of the school with one minute to spare. It’s quiet outside – most of the other students have already left campus by this time, and the few teachers that are milling about don’t tend to pay him any mind. It’s not as hot out as it was earlier, thanks to the few clouds blocking the sun. Its calm, a peaceful sort of day that Shinso is thankful for after the hectic start to his week.
But it’s too quiet… Quiet enough that Shinso is starting to wonder if maybe this was all a joke. .. Maybe this is Shinso’s punishment for standing between Eraserhead and his kid.
But then there’s a rush of air behind him, and he turns – barely catching himself in time before he would’ve gone sprawling across the sidewalk. He’s thankful he’s kept his footing – He would’ve died if he embarrassed himself like that before they even started.
Eraserhead poises an eyebrow, looking unimpressed with Shinso’s reaction.
“You’re late.”
Shinso starts, checks his phone and then looks up, confused.
“I’m right on time.” He argues.
Eraserhead tuts, clicks his tongue impatiently.
“So, you’re late. Come on.” Eraserhead turns and is walking away before Shinso can so much as blink.
“Where are we going?” He asks, catching up with long strides that match his teacher’s.
“Field.”
“Why?”
Eraserhead doesn’t so much as glance at him, let alone answer his question. Shinso frowns, but follows close behind.
“Where’s Izuku?” Shinso asks, once it’s clear the man doesn’t plan on talking. If he was honest, he’d expected the boy to show up with his guardian if his excitement earlier was anything to go by.
Shinso wasn’t sure when he’d been faced with that kind of enthusiasm before. He wasn’t sure if he ever had been. That kind of genuine, brightened enthusiasm that seemed to be contagious, considering how much more excited Shinso had been for the end of the day after spending an hour with the kid.
Eraserhead glances at Shinso, hesitates a second longer than usual, before continuing his straightforward stare ahead of them.
“He’s back in the classroom. He’s taking a nap, while Present Mic grades papers.”
Shinso nods, and any other moment in time he would probably be jealous of Izuku for getting to nap. But right now, being on the training field with Eraserhead, his blood is pumping through his body, strong and excited for the upcoming evening.
“I heard he visited your class, today.” Eraserhead mentions. Shinso spots a gym bag in the center of the field that the hero seems to be heading towards.
“He didn’t want to go to Hero Studies, so I offered him to come to English, instead. Sorry. I thought it’d be fine.” Shinso apologizes. Eraserhead looks at him, curiously.
“I’m not upset. Thank you for taking care of him.” He explains. Shinso shrugs.
“He can take care of himself.” He says, honestly. Eraserhead sighs.
“Yes. I heard about that as well…”
“It wasn’t his fault.” Shinso is quick to interject. Eraserhead nods.
“I’m aware. Honestly, if I wouldn’t have seen the video, I wouldn’t have believed it.” He admits.
“Video?”
“There are surveillance cameras in all the hallways, entrances and exits to the building.” Eraserhead explains. Shinso grimaces.
“Why?”
“We’re the top hero school in the country, Shinso. There are a lot of individuals and agencies that recognize that. It’s best to keep you all as safe as possible. And, frankly, if you want to be an underground hero – You need to start noticing things like cameras.” He tags on.
Shinso can’t help the thrill that goes through him, when Eraserhead gives him the light scold. He’s never had anyone actually believe in him, so Shinso doesn’t even mind the light scolding.
“Will you show me how?” Shinso asks. Eraserhead smiles – Or at least, Shinso thinks that’s what that look on his face is.
“Eventually. First, let’s see if you could even make it in my class.” Eraser smirks as they get to their destination.
They’re in one of the larger fields typically reserved for hero course students. The gym bag must have been dumped right in the middle of the grass previously, because Eraserhead is currently rifling through it. He pushes the long hair out of his eyes multiple times before finally giving up and tying it back with a hair band from his wrist.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shinso crosses his arms.
“Here.” Eraserhead finds what he’s looking for and stands up. He tosses something at Shinso, who catches it reflexively.
“Throw this.” Eraserhead orders. Shinso blinks once, confused, before looking at the baseball in his hand.
“The fuck?”
“As far as you can.”
“That doesn’t tell me anything.”
Eraserhead rolls his eyes. Shinso rolls them back.
Eraserhead glares.
“It’s a quirk apprehension test. I have my class do this on their first day. Whoever has the lowest score at the end of the day gets expelled from this school.”
Shinso feels his brows rise at this statement.
“Really?”
Eraserhead snorts, “Of course not. But how else would I be sure they’re using their full potential?”
“They use their quirks for this?”
Eraserhead levels him with one of his famous blank stares before answering, “It’s a quirk apprehension test.”
Shinso feels himself flush, slightly, “Well, yeah. But, not everyone’s quirks are useful for this kind of shit.”
Shinso remembers the basic gist of these tests he used to have to do in gym. All his classmates would moan and lament over the fact that they would do so much better if they could just use their quirks. Shinso, on the other hand, knew that his scores were the best he could do, regardless. He’d never be able to use his quirk to enhance his physical abilities.
“I know. That’s why I didn’t actually expel anyone. Even if I did come pretty close…” He mutters the last bit under his breath, looks like he’s eaten something sour.
“Then why are we here?” Shinso wonders.
“I still need to know where you’re at, quirk or no quirk. Physical fitness is just as important as your mental fitness. Your quirk won’t do you any good if you can’t stay alive long enough to use it.”
Shinso frowns, thinks…
“Who got the highest score in 1A?”
“Momo.” Eraserhead answers, bending down again to rifle through the bag. He comes back with a piece of paper littered with illegible scribbles. Shinso is able to make out everyone’s name in 1A with the results of each individual test.
Eraserhead writes just as haphazardly, scribbling something at the end of the list. Shinso leans over, curious, and isn’t prepared for the wave of emotion that hits when he sees Eraserhead adding his name to the list.
“Let’s see how you do, compared to them.” Eraserhead says, letting Shinso look over the results of his class. He has to admit, they’re incredible – and impossible to beat.
“They were allowed to use their quirks?” Shinso asks, again.
“It’s a quirk apprehension test, Shinso.”
“Right…” Shinso mutters, softly. Eraserhead pushes him a few feet away, looks at him expectantly.
“I don’t have all day.” He reminds him, gesturing towards the ball still in his hands.
Shinso hesitates, tosses the ball from his right hand to his left as he weighs the pros and cons of what he’s about to do.
Fuck it.
“Sensei… Do you really think I can be a hero?” He asks in a small voice, hopefully pathetic enough to catch Eraserhead off guard. It’s not as hard as it should be – He’s still shaken from seeing his own name among the rest of the future heroes.
Judging by the expression on the teacher’s otherwise stoic face, it works. He softens, a bit, and nods. He lets his guard down.
“I-”
Click
Shinso doesn’t dare to breathe, at first, as he secures his hold on Eraserhead’s mind. The teacher’s eyes fade from a dark black, to grey, to white. Shinso lets out his breath and walks over to the teacher, close enough that he can grab the paper with the test results. He glances over them quickly, deciding what to do. He passes it back to Eraserhead.
“Hold this.”
Eraserhead clasps the paper in one hand, the other still holding a pen.
“You’re going to write what I tell you. Nod if you understand.”
Eraserhead nods, eyes unfocused. Shinso can feel the edge of hero’s consciousness fighting against his hold. Damn mentalist quirks. He’ll have to act fast.
“Next to my name, under the ball throw column. Write these numbers…”
Shinso gives himself ten more meters than Momo’s own throw. The scrawl is barely legible, even worse than before, but it works. Shinso grins.
“Good. Do the same under the fifty meter dash. Write these numbers...”
Shinso continues on, gives himself a quicker time than Momo by a full second. Eraserhead complies, so Shinso keeps going. He makes it to the last test, the long jump, and Eraserhead is halfway through writing the fabricated results when Shinso feels his control start to waver. The last few numbers are nothing more than scratches on the paper, due to this, and Shinso releases his teacher before he can break his control completely.
Shinso takes several steps back, in case Eraserhead reacts poorly. He doesn’t think he could outrun the man, but he could at least get a head start.
It doesn’t seem to be necessary, though, because Eraserhead only blinks, dazed and confused as any other person that’s been under his quirk. His brows furrow as he looks down at the paper, glances back up at Shinso with a skeptical gaze after reading the numbers.
“You said quirks were allowed.” Shinso reminds him, nervous. Eraserhead quirks an eyebrow.
“So you used your quirk on me?”
“I…” Shinso gulps, wondering if he miscalculated. Eraserhead glances back down at the paper.
“Hm. Looks like I’ll need to make some adjustments.” Eraserhead says to himself, before erasing and scribbling on the paper some more.
“What’re you doing?” Shinso asks, still nervous. Eraserhead levels him with a stare, not answering. He holds up the paper, instead.
“Rearranging the results. Looks like you got the top scores, after all. Momo will be disappointed.” He comments.
Shinso’s eyes widen.
“You aren’t mad? You aren’t going to expel me?” Shinso checks. Eraserhead shakes his head.
“It’s a quirk apprehension test. You’re supposed to use your quirk to get the highest possible score.” Eraserhead reminds him, again. Shinso feels himself smile.
“But… Don’t think that will ever happen again. I know what to look for, now. And I won’t hesitate to erase your quirk if you try and use it on me again without permission.” Eraserhead warns him. Shinso nods, smirks.
“We’ll see whose quirk is faster, then.”
Eraserhead grins.
“We’ll see.”
**********
By the time night falls, Shinso is out of breath. He’s sprawled out on the grass, leaning on his elbows as he gulps in breaths of air. The sun has already started setting when Eraserhead finally calls it a night.
“Why – The fuck – Do I still – Still have to do that shit? If I already passed.” He manages, panting in between words.
Eraserhead just looks down at him, arms crossed in front. He doesn’t look very impressed, though the light is fading, so maybe Shinso just can’t see him. After over an hour of going through the same apprehension test without his quirk, over and over, Eraserhead should be shaking his fucking hand.
“You’re out of shape.” Eraserhead comments, instead. Shinso rolls his eyes.
“No shit.” He manages, sitting up.
“You should be able to perform well on these tests with or without your quirk.”
“You said – not all quirks were applicable to this shit.”
“They aren’t. I’m not expecting you to outperform Momo every time – But you need to get to a level of physical fitness that will serve you well, if you wish to be a hero.”
Shinso groans at that, but knows his teacher is right.
“I’ll write up a training regimen and give it to you, tomorrow. We’ll meet here again at the same time.” Eraserhead tells him, holding his hand out for Shinso to take it and get on his feet.
“All right.” Shinso agrees, uncapping his water and all but drowning himself in it.
Eraserhead checks his phone while Shinso does the same. He looks at the time and winces. He’s definitely missed dinner.
“Do you need a ride home?” Eraserhead surprises him. Shinso glances up.
“No.” He says, too quickly. Eraserhead puts his phone in his pocket, along with his hands. He studies Shinso, analyzing him in a way that makes him feel far too visible.
“If you’re going to be following my training schedule, you’ll need to up your caloric intake. Will that be a problem?” He asks, carefully. Shinso tenses. His gaze hardens to match his teacher’s.
“You looked into me.” He says, not answering the question. Eraserhead nods.
“If I’m going to put in the time and effort to personally train a student, I’m going to do my research, first.” He says. Shinso doesn’t say anything, so he continues.
“Hizashi was in foster care, for a short time. And I’ve worked with enough kids in the system to know that there are strict schedules regarding meal time.”
Shinso’s eyes narrow, thinking. Maybe that’s why Mic-Sensei had taken him to the side the day before, after his gaze had lingered a little too long on the mark Shinso’s muzzle left on his cheek.
“I’ll be fine.” Shinso says, finally. Eraser nods, warily. He doesn’t seem to trust Shinso’s answer.
“What about tonight? It’s past seven.” He comments, looking down at his phone again.
Shinso doesn’t answer. He looks away, instead. There’s no point in lying – Eraserhead has already made up his mind. Shinso doesn’t have the energy to try and convince him otherwise. It’s well past meal time, and Shinso won’t be getting any leftovers. He’ll have to put on the muzzle as soon as he gets home, before bed, and won’t be able to eat anyways.
“SHO!”
Shinso startles at the loud call from the other end of the field. He can make out Present Mic’s silhouette in the fading light, with another, smaller figure walking beside him. When Shinso looks back at Eraserhead, he sees his teacher’s features soften in recognition.
The smaller figure starts running, faster than Present-Mic so that he ends up skidding a few feet before stopping just short of running into Eraserhead. A mess of green curls flops with the movement, and Izuku looks up at Eraserhead with wide, adoring eyes.
“Aizawa-Sensei! Are you done?” He asks, all but bouncing on his heels.
“Mhm. We just finished.”
Izuku turns to look at Shinso at this, grinning.
“How was it?”He asks, excited.
“Exhausting.” He says, honestly. Eraserhead snorts.
“Are you ready, Sho? Our little listener is hungry.” Mic says, as he gets closer. He looks over at Shinso and smiles, warmly.
Shinso doesn’t trust it.
“Hey, listener! You hungry?” He asks.
“Oh! Y-You should come with us! Can he?” Izuku asks, eyes pleading with both Eraser and Mic.
“Huh?” Shinso asks as Eraserhead shrugs. Present Mic keeps smiling.
“Of course! If you don’t have to get home?” Mic asks, searching. Shinso just glances at Izuku, confused. Eraserhead answers for him.
“We’re taking Izuku out to eat, to celebrate his first day back at school. You’re welcome to come with us. If you don’t think your guardians would care.”
“I don’t have any money.” Is the first thing that comes to Shinso’s mind at the offer. Never mind the fact that his teaches are offering him to feed him dinner, tonight. Or the fact that he’d just been invited somewhere by his first maybe-kind of-sort of-friend.
“We wouldn’t take it, anyways! Come on – Why don’t you join us? We can call your guardians for permission, first.” Mic offers. Shinso shakes his head.
“They wouldn’t care.” He says, honestly.
“Then y-you have to come! Please, Shinso?” Izuku asks, stepping forward and leaving hardly any space between them. The kid looks up at him with wide, green eyes, and Shinso finds himself agreeing before he thinks it through. Maybe the kid isn’t quirkless after all – his brainwashing seems to be more powerful than Shinso’s own.
“Great! Let’s go, then! I’m hungry, too!” Mic complains, taking Izuku’s hand and walking ahead.
Shinso watches the two warily, as they lead the way to their car. The two are chatting, going on about everything and nothing. Shinso wonders how they can even have that much to talk about without running out of things to say to one another. Or how they can be so fucking energetic at the end of the day.
“You’re thinking too hard.” Eraser comments. Shinso starts, glances over, but the hero is still staring ahead. Shinso shrugs.
“I won’t be able to pay you back.” He says. Eraserhead shakes his head.
“You don’t need to.”
“So you’re just going to buy me dinner? They do feed me at home, you know.” Shinso jokes, half serious.
“No, I don’t know.” Eraserhead replies, finally looking down. Shinso tenses at the scrutiny and looks away.
“You don’t need to worry. Mic already talked to me, earlier.” Shinso says, cringing at the memory of what an awkward experience that had been.
The teacher had taken him aside as he walked him out of Recovery Girl’s room, careful to keep his distance physically while his concern for Shinso’s wellbeing smothered him. He’d taken off his glasses, looked deep inside him with bright green eyes that were far more serious than Shinso had seen before.
“You doing okay, Shinso?” Present Mic asks, lowering his voice. Shinso looks to the side, intimidated by the intensity of his teacher’s concern.
“I’m fine.” Shinso answers. Present Mic frowns.
“Earlier… There was a mark, on your face.” Mic starts slowly, gauging Shinso’s reaction.
“Was there?” Shinso plays dumb.
“There was. It looked like something a mask would leave, maybe.” Mic tip toes around the term, around what he saw, but Shinso has no doubt what they’re talking about.
“Hm. Must have slept funny, earlier.” Shinso explains. Present Mic frowns, lips pulling down. Shinso manages to escape after Mic gives him his number.
“Good. But anyways – It’s not just worry. We’re celebrating Izuku’s first day at school. Seems only fair that we celebrate your first step towards becoming a hero.” Eraserhead tosses out, like it’s nothing.
It’s everything.
“R-Really?” Shinso asks, voice wobbling, embarrassing. Eraserhead hums and nods his head. He thankfully doesn’t glance down at where Shinso is trying to rub his eyes as nonchalant as one can.
The rest of the walk to the car is done in silence. Shinso is able to get himself under control, wiping away tears he hasn’t felt in years. He hasn’t cried since he was a kid. He never thought he’d cry out of anything but pain, or hurt. But this was new, and just as terrifying.
“If you have headphones, you should put them in now.” Eraserhead warns and startles Shinso out of his thoughts. He looks up, confused.
“Why?”
He gets his answer when Eraserhead opens his door for him. As soon as Present Mic has the car started, he’s turning the radio on and turning it up loud.
“Hizashi likes to sing along.”
**********
It’s busy when they make it to the restaurant. Izuku had demanded that Shinso decide where they went to eat, since he was their guest. Present Mic went along with it, poking and prodding at Shinso until he finally gave an answer.
“Original.” Eraser comments, dry as ever, as they stand in line to place their order at the ramen bar. Shinso huffs and crosses his arms.
“Why’d you ask, then?”
“It’s g-great, Shinso! I can eat almost anything here!” Izuku tells him, smiling. Shinso isn’t sure what that means, but he’s glad the kid is happy.
That happiness stays all throughout their meal. Izuku slides into the booth next to Eraserhead, which means Shinso is stuck next to the loud mouth. He watches the kid finish his soup, leaning more and more heavily into Eraser’s side as the evening goes on. At one point Eraser finally shifts, lifting his arm so that Izuku fits snug into his side.
“Ooh – Milkshakes! Want one, listener?” Mic points out after looking over the dessert menu. Izuku brightens and nods.
“You guys want anything?” Mic asks, standing up out of the booth and stretching.
“Surprise me.” Eraser tells him. Izuku gets out of the booth, too, lingering near Present Mic.
“Do you w-want one of those cookies, Shinso?” Izuku asks. He must have seen Shinso eyeing them over the counter, when they were ordering before.
“If there’s any left.” Shinso nods. Izuku smiles.
“Okay! I’ll go with you, ‘Zashi.” Izuku tells Present Mic, who beams and grabs a hold of the kid’s hand before they walk towards the desserts.
“How are they so happy all the time?” Shinso wonders, his tone softer than his words. Eraser snorts.
“No idea… It’s nice, though.” He admits, softly at the end. Quiet enough that Shinso looks away from the two bright lights making their way to the dessert bar.
“Seems annoying.” Shinso mutters, though he isn’t so sure. Eraser actually chuckles.
“It’s that, too. But I wouldn’t change it.” He says, sincere. Shinso hums and thinks on that.
He looks at Izuku – Really looks at him. The kid hasn’t strayed more than a few inches from either Mic or Eraser’s side for the entire night. He had ordered some kind of enriched broth off the menu, not picking off any of the appetizers set in front of them. That must be why he’s so small. Shinso remembers feeling his ribs through a soft sweater, as he’d held him up to vomit into the toilet.
But he’s smiling, now.
“What happened to him?” Shinso asks, unable to reign in his curiosity. The boy following around Present Mic like a duckling, giggling and smiling at the teacher’s antics, was a completely different boy than the one Shinso had met in the bathroom screaming and sobbing just days before.
“Izuku…” Eraserhead says softly, thinking, “He’s been through a lot. We don’t actually know everything, but we have enough of an idea.”
Shinso waits, as patient as he can for Eraser to continue.
“It’s not my place to say, but… I found him while I was on a mission. He was being held somewhere, against his will. He’d been there for a few years by the time we found him. The things he experienced while he was there…” Eraserhead trails off, his eyes glazing over with memories, “Well. You saw his scars aren’t all physical.”
Shinso did. He still sees it, sometimes, in how hesitant and terrified the kid can get, at times. The way he seems to disappear into his head a little too far for anyone to reach.
“How long?” Shinso asks. Eraserhead looks over, curious.
“How long was he there?”
“Three years. Even before that, he… His home life wasn’t kind.” Eraser settles on. Shinso nods along, putting the pieces together.
“That’s why you and Mic took him in.” He surmises. Eraser nods.
“Yes. We became… attached, fairly quickly.” He admits. It’s Shinso’s turn to snort, skeptical. Eraserhead looks over, affronted.
“What?” He asks, defensive.
“Attached? You guys are obsessed.” He teases. Eraser frowns.
“Hizashi is obsessed.” He says, still defensive. Shinso smirks.
“And you.”
“Am not.”
“You are.”
“I am not.”
“Why are you even arguing? It’s not a bad thing.” Shinso points out, chuckling. Eraser shrugs, suddenly uncomfortable.
“I didn’t exactly plan on it.” He admits.
“Well… Most people don’t plan on loving others, do they? It just happens, over time.” Shinso says.
“…It hasn’t been that much time, though. We haven’t had him for more than a few weeks.”
Shinso frowns, “First of all, you don’t have him. He’s his own person – He’s not a pet.”
Eraserhead sits up, opens his mouth to speak, but Shinso talks over him,
“And secondly… Maybe you didn’t have to wait, you know? Maybe you just knew, when you met him.”
Eraserhead sits quietly for a moment before asking, “Knew what?”
Shinso softens and answers, “That he’s your kid.”
Eraser’s eyes widen, looking at Shinso like he’s something else entirely. It should be strange that Eraserhead doesn’t feel like a teacher in this moment, but it isn’t. It’s nice. It almost feels like they’re on even footing – and that isn’t something Shinso is used to. It feels familiar, and comfortable, and Shinso has to stop himself from wishing this could happen more often.
“Here, Shinso! They had one!” Izuku says, happily passing a salted caramel cookie to him. Shinso brightens and thanks Izuku before biting into it.
“Is it good?” Mic laughs at Shinso’s pleased expression. Shinso nods and Izuku smiles even brighter.
Shinso checks his phone while the rest of the desserts are passed out. Izuku gives Eraserhead a cake pop shaped like a cat, and Shinso can’t take the picture of the hero’s reaction fast enough. He knows he’ll remember it, though – he didn’t know the man could blush like that.
“Are you talking to K-Kaminari?” Izuku asks, a knowing grin on his face. Shinso blushes at the knowing look from Mic, and the confused one from Eraserhead.
“Shut up.” Shinso grunts, kicking Izuku under the table.
“Hey!” Izuku complains, rubbing his leg.
“You know Kaminari?” Eraserhead asks.
“Sho, they both spent most of Monday together.” Present Mic reminds him.
“They’re friends.” Izuku confirms, nodding.
“We’re not.” Shinso argues, though it doesn’t sound very convincing.
“Oh? Y-You seemed pretty friendly to m-me.” Izuku giggles, earning another glare from Shinso. When both teachers catch on, Shinso briefly wishes he could die.
“OH! Shinso – You’re just like Sho! He has a thing for loud blondes, too.” Mic laughs, teasing his… partner? Boyfriend? Husband?
“I do not.” Shinso grumbles, sliding down into his seat. Eraser rolls his eyes.
“Leave him be, ‘Zashi. Besides, he isn’t the only one that’s been spending time with loud blondes.” Eraserhead says, glancing at Izuku who is pointedly looking away from the table. Shinso grins.
“Oh? Someone caught your eye, ‘Zuku?”
“N-No!” The boy protests, flushing.
“Are you talking about Monoma?” Mic wonders. Eraserhead nods, grinning at Izuku’s squeak.
“How did you know?” Eraser asks.
“T-That’s not t-true!” Izuku protests, waving his hands frantically.
Shinso laughs, “Not so fun now, is it?”
Izuku pouts, crossing his arms and sipping his milkshake with reddened cheeks.
“Y-You have Kaminari’s number, though.” Izuku tries. Shinso rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, thanks to you.” He says, still embarrassed to think back on the moment earlier in the day.
“You’re w-welcome.”
“You got his number, already? That’s a lot better than I did. It took me months to get Sho’s number.” Mic complains. Shinso finds himself smiling, despite himself.
“I knew you would call me, if I gave it to you.” Eraser explains, only making Mic pout even further.
“That’s the point!”
“I was moody, back then. I was afraid you’d talk my ear off.” Eraser shrugs. Shinso chuckles, speaking up,
“If you were moody in the past, what are you now?”
“A butt.” Mic sticks out his tongue, and Eraser grins, affectionate and teasing all at once.
“How did you even manage to get together?” Shinso wonders at the odd pair.
Eraser’s smile falls off his face in an instant. Mic catches it, both corners of his mouth trying their best to meet his eyes.
“Don’t, Hizashi.” Eraser warns, but Mic talks over him.
“I have pictures!” He exclaims, proudly, taking out his phone. Eraser flushes a bright red and groans, covering his face with one hand.
“Please, don’t.” He begs. Shinso smirks, sits up to see whatever it is that’s embarrassing his teacher. Izuku just looks worried.
“If you d-don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.” Izuku tells him, sincere.
“He’s fine Izuku, he’s just embarrassed. LOOK!” Present Mic assures him before shrieking when he finds what he’s looking for.
Shinso wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but a picture of Eraserhead with a buzzcut wasn’t it.
“Oh! Um… Aizawa-Sensei, you look… d-different.” Izuku winces. Shinso laughs, earning a glare from the kid.
“I looked like an idiot.” Eraserhead tells him.
“How did that lead to you getting together?” Shinso asks, still laughing. Hizashi cackles before speaking up.
“Do you want to tell them, Sho? Or should I?” He asks. Eraserhead rolls his eyes and waves his hand.
“Do what you want.” He grumbles, sliding down in his seat much as Shinso had before.
“HA! Okay – listen up, little listeners! Back when we were still students at UA, just like you guys, Midnight-Sensei was just as bad an influence back then as she is now.” Mic says, seriously. Shinso and Izuku are on the edge of their seats, curious and excited to hear about the other teachers.
“She may or may not have supplied the three of us with alcohol, one night.”
Shinso snorts, “So, she definitely did.”
Eraser nods, confirming, while Mic hushes them both.
“Anyways! Word got out, and like half of our class ended up showing up! So it kind of ended up becoming a whole, like, impromptu party –“
“In the library.” Eraserhead points out. Shinso’s eyes widen.
“Of school?!” He asks, incredulous.
“I told you, she was a bad influence!” Mic exclaims.
“You’re the one that picked the location.” Eraserhead comments. Mic waves him away.
“Whatever. Anyways! Someone had never been drunk before, and couldn’t hold his liquor, and was more than a little tipsy. All of us were, but Sho especially! And Nemuri, Midnight-Sensei, got it into her head that she wanted to give me a haircut.”
“D-Did you always have long h-hair?” Izuku asks.
“Yep! And apparently Sho reeeally liked it. Because when she pulled out the buzzer, he totally freaked out!”
“I didn’t freak out.” Eraser grumbles.
“You did! He launched himself into my lap to stop Nemuri from cutting my hair, but she ended up buzzing some of his off, instead!” Mic laughs before continuing,
“And the rest of the night he just went on and on and on about how much he liked me and my hair, and how pretty me and my hair was, and how I wasn’t allowed to cut it or he wouldn’t be my friend anymore.” Present Mic grins, while Eraser flushes a bright red. Even Izuku is giggling, now.
“So you’re an obnoxious drunk?” Shinso guesses. Mic shakes his head.
“No, he’s super sweet and affectionate!”
“I am not sweet.”
“Yeah, huh!”
“No.”
“Anyways! After we’d both sobered up I basically annoyed him about all the super sweet stuff he was saying at the party until he eventually cracked and admitted his feelings for me.”
Shinso chuckles, “So nothing’s changed, then?”
“Nope! He’s my strong and silent love, through and through!” Present Mic agrees. Eraserhead kicks him from underneath the table, but this only makes everyone laugh even louder at his obvious distress.
The four of them – Eraserhead, Present Mic, Shinso and Izuku – continue to bicker and tease until the restaurant closes nearly an hour later. Shinso is full, and his face hurts from smiling, and he’s tired in a good way. Izuku takes Present Mic’s hand on the way out while Shinso walks beside Eraser. Shinso hates how much he likes it. And he hates that he wonders if, on the outside, maybe the others in the restaurant think they could be a family.
**********
“You really don’t have to do this.” Shinso says again, his entire body coiled tight with anxiety. Eraserhead either doesn’t notice or doesn’t comment as he walks Shinso to his front door. Night has truly fallen now, and it’s well beyond the time he’d usually have made it home.
“I’m just saying hello. I won’t come in.” He tells him, but Shinso knows that isn’t true.
Shinso’s hands shake as he turns the key in the door, entering the house. It’s quiet, except for the sound of the television on in the living room. As soon as Shinso ushers his teacher in and shuts the door, the sounds cuts off. Shinso tenses, knows he’s been caught.
“Shinso?” The sound of his foster mom echoes around the corner.
Eraserhead definitely sees the way Shinso is shaking now, nervous about what could possibly come out of her mouth before Shinso has time to stop her.
When Eraserhead isn’t busy studying him, he’s studying the house. It’s not big, but it’s enough space for most of the kids to have their own rooms. It’s not clean, but it’s not really dirty either. It’s in decent shape for the year it was built, and the smell of dinner is still heavy in the air.
“The fuck are you doing back so late? I had to wait up for you so we could put on your-”
His foster mom stops herself just in time, and Shinso lets out a relieved breath of air. Her already large eyes nearly bulge out of their head when she sees he isn’t alone.
“This is my teacher,” He’s quick to say, “He wanted to meet you.”
Eraserhead steps forward, one hand extended. His foster mother takes it, warily, and shakes it.
“Aizawa Shota. I’m a homeroom teacher at UA.”
“Kitamura. Nice to meet you.” She says, forcibly polite. Aizawa smiles, also polite. He waits a moment before continuing,
“I’m hoping to be his homeroom teacher, by the end of the year. I’m in charge of one of our first level heroics classes.” He states, to the surprise of Shinso’s guardian.
“You have an incredible kid.” He says, after a moment of silence. Kitamura speaks on instinct,
“He’s not my kid.”
An awkward silence, and Shinso can feel his face burning. Aizawa looks angry, almost, and sounds irritated when he comments,
“Of course. You could only be so lucky.”
Shinso’s breath catches at the sincerity with which his teacher tacked on the last line. His foster mom reddens, is ready to snap right back. But she’s interrupted, and Shinso will never know what she was going to say. Because someone comes running down the stairs, throwing themselves at Shinso and forcing him a step back.
“’Toshi!” Eri holds on tight around Shinso’s neck, and he holds her back.
“Hi, Eri.” He smiles into her long, pale hair. It smells clean, like her favorite strawberry shampoo.
“You’re late!” She complains, leaning back to look at him.
“Sorry. I was at school.” He explains.
“Oh! That’s okay, then.”
“Do you want to meet one of my teachers? He came to say hi.”
“Really?!” Eri twists in his arms, craning her neck to see the man she’d run right past in her haste to launch herself at Shinso.
Eraserhead smiles at Eri, eyes crinkling.
“Hello. I’m Aizawa.”
Eri blushes and turns shy, but she manages her own introduction, “H-Hi, ‘Zawa. I’m Eri… You’re really ‘Toshi’s teacher?”
“I am.” He nods. Shinso feels his chest expand at the declaration.
“At hero school?” She asks, tilting her head. Eraser nods.
“Are you a hero, too?” She wonders.
“I am. You may not have heard of me, though. I’m Eraserhead.” He tells her. She brightens at this fact.
“Then… Are you here to save ‘Toshi?” She asks, energetically.
Time stops just after Eraserhead’s face falls. Shinso feels the color drain from his face, and his guardian’s seems to soak color up like a sponge. Her mouth tightens into a sharp line and she frowns, looking nervously at Eraserhead. Both her and Shinso reprimand Eri at the same time, calling out –
”Eri!”
The small girl frowns and pouts at their exclamation. Eraserhead is torn between gazing at her, searching, and narrowing in on Shinso with an intense stare. Shinso doesn’t particularly like either option. He’s terrified of what Eri could tell him, but he also knows he can’t meet Eraser’s gaze without breaking.
“I don’t know…” Eraser finally speaks up, “Does he need saving?”
Eri doesn’t answer, looking at Shinso apologetically. She tucks her head under his neck, catching his chin with her horn.
“Why don’t you go tuck her in, Shinso?” His guardian suggests, saving Shinso from the awkward moment.
“Can ‘Zawa come too? I want to show him my room!” Eri swings her legs, unintentionally kicking Shinso.
Kitamura looks between the three of them. She seems to warn Eri to keep quit with nothing more than her eyes before shrugging and sighing, seemingly exhausted by the conversation. She’s confident enough that Eri won’t slip up again, at least. Shinso won’t let her.
“I don’t care. Shinso, make sure she gets to sleep. I’m going to bed.” Kitamura waves them off and leaves without another word or backwards glance. Eraserhead isn’t impressed.
“Are you coming?” Eri asks, still looking at Eraser. Shinso eyes him warily as the hero nods.
“Sure.”
“Yay!” Eri squeaks and Shinso hushes her.
“Sorry, ‘Toshi.” Eri whispers. Shinso shakes his head.
“It’s okay, Eri. Just be mindful of the others trying to sleep.” He tells her, quiet, walking up the stairs. He can feel Eraserhead behind him.
Eri nods very seriously, taking the request as a challenge to be as quiet as possible. Instead of chatting, she’s busy looking at Shinso’s face. She even reaches out to press small fingertips against his lips. Shinso plays like he’s going to bite them, which gets a wide grin out of Eri. She opens her mouth to say something, but Shinso is afraid he knows it’s going to be a comment about her getting to see his face, for once.
“You’re too heavy.” Shinso complains and sets her down in front of her door.
“It’s because I’m getting bigger!” She whispers, opening her door.
“How old are you?” Eraserhead asks. Eri holds up five fingers, smiling proudly.
“That is big.” Eraser agrees, nodding.
“Mhm! And soon I’ll be as big as ‘Toshi!” She exclaims, ushering the two into her room.
It isn’t much, but it’s hers. Shinso knows that in the system, sharing rooms is more common than not. The only reason Shinso had his own space was because of the threat level assigned to his quirk. Eri had her own room because Kitamura had a soft spot for the cute little girl.
“Okay, Eri. It’s way past your bedtime. You don’t want to be sleepy for school in the morning.” Shinso tells her, eager to get his teacher out of the house.
“Aw, can’t I sleep with you tonight?” She pouts. Shinso sighs.
“No, Eri. You’re too big for that now, remember?” He reminds her as he does several times a week.
She huffs, but nods. She frowns and kicks her feet under the blankets and covers herself, still sitting up and looking at the two. Her eyes grow heavy.
“Want me to brush your hair? To help you sleep?” Shinso offers to appease her. She nods and yawns.
“Yes, please.”
Shinso obliges and finds her brush sitting on the top of her dresser. He sits next to her on the bed, cross legged, and she sits up straight.
Shinso runs the brush through her hair, trying to ignore the attention he’s getting from his teacher. He can feel Eraser’s eyes burning through him, at the soft moment he usually shares with Eri when she can’t sleep. He figures tonight can be an exception, since he raised his voice at her earlier. He feels bad that his fear got the best of him like that.
It doesn’t take long before she’s leaning forward, catching herself, and falling back asleep. She rocks forward again, wakes herself up with a bleary eyed blink and rubs her eyes. Shinso is used to it, and has a hand placed against her back to catch her.
“She’s sweet.” Eraserhead comments, quiet, after she’s passed out. Shinso sets the brush to the side.
“She is.”
“She’s not your biological sister…?” Eraserhead wonders, studying Shinso as if trying to find a resemblance.
Shinso shakes his head. He lays her down, gently resting her head on the pillow. He turns out the lamp by her bed.
“No. She’s been here for a little over a year. I don’t know much about why she’s here, just that she was with her grandfather before she was put into the system. I guess he passed.”
“Hm… And where’s your room?” Eraserhead asks, expectantly, as they leave her room and close the door behind them.
Shinso’s room… His space is small and cramped. It’s not a room at all, if he’s being honest. It’s a small closet with four walls and no windows. There’s no furniture, no bed… but it’s warm in the winter and cold in the summer. There are no bugs or rodents, no mold or mildew.
“It’s nothing special.” Shinso shrugs and keeps heading downstairs. Eraserhead sighs, but follows close behind.
It’s still quiet by the time Shinso gets him to the front door. The television has been turned off, and it’s just them two.
“They’re waiting for you.” Shinso cuts him off before he can say anything more. Eraserhead doesn’t play along.
“Who’s your caseworker?” He asks. Shinso blinks once, confused.
“Huh?”
“You have a caseworker, don’t you?”
“Yeah…”
“You have their number?”
“I do…” Shinso hesitates. Eraser looks at him expectantly.
“Either you can give it to me now, or I’ll find out myself.”
Shinso stalls, biting his lip, but eventually gives him the name and number of his current caseworker.
“Thanks.” Eraser tells him as Shinso walks him out. They stand in the doorway; Eraser looking like there’s something else he wants to say. Shinso is on edge, waiting for him to gather his thoughts.
“I know Hizashi gave you his number. I want you to have mine, as well.” He tells him, holding out his hand for Shinso’s phone. Shinso passes it to him.
“You don’t have to.” He says softly, looking down.
“I want to.” He repeats himself and adds his number before texting it, so that Eraser now has Shinso’s number as well.
“Do you have Izuku’s number?” He asks. Shinso shakes his head.
“I’ll add it. You two will make good friends.” He says. Shinso scratches the back of his head.
“Such a dad.” He mutters. Eraser starts, flushed and taken off guard by the statement.
He hands Shinso back his phone and puts his hands in his pockets. He glances over to where his family is waiting for him in the car. When he turns to face Shinso, he almost doesn’t recognize him. His usual blank face is drawn tight with worry, his vacant stare replaced by an intensity that reminds Shinso that when the man isn’t a teacher, he’s an actual hero.
“Are you safe here?”
Shinso blinks, surprised by his blunt question. He doesn’t answer, but Eraser pushes further.
“Do you feel safe here?” He clarifies. Shinso swallows, looks away when he lies.
“It’s fine. Here. I’ve… had worse.” He crosses his arms in front of him. At least half of it was the truth.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” Eraser frowns. Shinso shrugs and remains silent. His eyes are stinging, and he knows if he looks up that he’ll break.
“Hizashi… When he was in foster care, they didn’t know what to do with his quirk. He was too young to be able to control it. So instead of trying to help him, or teach him, they kept him quiet. They muzzled him, while he was in care.”
Shinso inhales sharply, not so much as breathing.
“And that wasn’t right. To strip someone of their ability to talk, to express themselves and communicate… It’s just another form of abuse. Not to mention everything else that went on in the house he was placed in.” Eraserhead continues,
“So… Shinso. I’ll ask again. Are you safe?” He whispers, his voice hardly louder than the wind.
Shinso burns as he whispers just as softly…
“Yes.”
The lie hangs between them for a moment too long. Eraser sighs, but relents. He nods his head.
“Okay. If that changes, you’ll tell me.” He says. It’s not a request, so Shinso nods.
“I mean it, Shinso. We’ll figure something out.” Eraser tells him. Shinso nods, again. He’s heard those words before.
Eraserhead lingers for another moment, before finally peeling himself off the front porch. He looks back at Shinso when he’s halfway to the car.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Same time and place.” He tells him.
“See you tomorrow.” Shinso answers. Eraser nods, pleased with the answer, and finally gets into his car.
Shinso doesn’t wait to watch the family leave. For the second time tonight, he can feel tears blurring the edge of his vision and he doesn’t want them to see. He wipes them away as he takes the stairs, two at a time, and all but runs into his room before slamming the door.
His knees hit the hard wood, barely softened by a few blankets that he’s been allowed for the colder months. They haven’t been washed since then, but Shinso can’t bring himself to care. It’s better than nothing.
His hands reach out and brush against something cold and familiar. He sniffs as he picks up the muzzle, holding it close enough that he can see it in the dark. His foster mom must have dropped it off while he walked out his teacher. It wouldn’t be the first time Shinso had to put it on himself, but each time he was forced to lock himself away was more painful than the last.
He drops the muzzle back onto the floor, hitting it out of the way so he can collapse on his blankets, instead. He covers his mouth and makes sure to cry silently, so he doesn’t wake anyone.
What did Eraser expect him to do? It really wasn’t that bad here – Kitamura rarely hit him, and she never hit anyone else. He’s had so much worse, before, and he didn’t want to risk going somewhere like that again. Places where Shinso had to dance around inane rules and severe punishments, where he didn’t get to eat every day or shower more than once a week. Places that left him black and blue and sore more often than not.
Besides, even if he did say something… What would happen to Eri? Shinso didn’t think Kitamura would ever hurt the girl… but what if? What if something happened, and Shinso wasn’t there to protect her?
Shinso accidentally lets a muffled whimper slip through his lips, so he uses both hands to cover his mouth.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
He’d let the night get into his head. He didn’t even hardly know the people, but spending a few hours with Eraserhead, Present Mic, and Izuku already had him imagining futures that would never pan out. They were teachers, of course they wanted to make sure Shinso got something to eat and got home safe. They were heroes, too.
And besides… Shinso could never be Izuku. Compared to the kid, Shinso had an incredibly easy and comfortable life. But he knew with a certainty that he would never be able to smile like that – open and genuine and happy.
Shinso cries himself to sleep with that thought rattling around in his head. His mind starts to drift off and his thoughts grow fuzzy around the edges. His breathing slows, deep and steady after the frantic rise and fall of his sobbing.
And he forgets his muzzle just a few feet away. He forgets to silence himself, that night. So when he’s awoken in the morning by a furious, terrified Kitamura… He only has himself to blame.