Work Text:
Shouta is grading papers when he first feels a tickle on his arm. He's perhaps a little too familiar with the feeling, as it's how he and Hizashi tend to communicate, even though they have each other's numbers now. He's a little annoyed that Hizashi is writing to him now, while he's grading papers, but doesn’t think much of it until he pulls his sleeve down to see what Hizashi had to write. But, that… isn’t Hizashi’s handwriting. Hizashi likes to write wide and loopy, this writing is small and cramped. Not to mention Hizashi doesn't typically write much to communicate, he preferred talking. For short messages that aren't worth a phone call, he’ll scribble a quick message to Shouta though.
Shouta’s eyes widen as he takes in the contents. It’s an analysis of All Might’s Quirk. A Quirk which the hero himself never talked about. No one knew what the hero’s Quirk was, and most assumed it was a kind of strength enhancer. An absurd strength enhancer, sure, but absolutely nothing like this person was writing about, but it all seemed to fit.
He’s kinda curious about who’s on the other side of the bond, so he pauses his grading and writes in the free space, clearly visible, Hello, This analysis is quite logical and well thought out. What did you mean about All Might’s “true form”? He waits a couple minutes for a reply, but none comes. In fact, a couple minutes later the writing is gone. Shouta curses to himself, he should have taken a photo of it, that way he’d have their handwriting recorded. Oh, well, too late now. Shouta watches as the words become paler and paler, as the writing is washed off. He can’t really feel it, but he starts to suspect that the person wasn’t just trying to clear their skin to answer. They were trying to wash off his writing as well. Shouta decided to simply go over his words again and wait for a reply.
He doesn’t get one. He frowns and writes, Kid? I didn’t mean to scare you off. There’s still no response. At least not from the original writer. Someone else starts writing back, in an elegant calligraphic script. It’s a request that the writing stops, so their father won’t be angry. Shouta is automatically concerned and frowns. He washes away his writing so the second writer won’t get in trouble, all the while pondering a solution. It’s not hard, so later he writes on his stomach, What if I write somewhere not as easily seen? The second kid doesn’t seem to have a problem with that, but the first one, the one that wrote that interesting analysis on All Might, says nothing at all.
Shouta is concerned for his soul children. Slowly, he learns more about the second child, how his father is abusive and how he’s planning to go to UA. The first child writes nothing at all. Shouta worries. At least when the second kid, Todoroki Shouto, comes to UA, Shouta can teach him, protect him, be close to him. Shouta can send Shouto to Recovery Girl if his father goes too far, can excuse him from class so he can rest, and then train him (lightly) after school in hopes that the excuse will result in Endeavor training him less.
Shouta doesn’t really notice when he and Shouto stop writing on their skin as much to communicate. Shouto prefers to use his phone; it’s easier to delete evidence, he says, and his father doesn’t tend to go through his phone. That he’s too busy, he can’t be bothered and he doubts that Shouto has a social life anyways.
While Shouta doesn’t have to worry too much about Shouto, he still worries over his mystery child. No matter how often he and Shouto ask about Third, Third never replies. Shouta doesn't know why the first kid ignores him and fears that he is in a similar situation as Shouto. He worries that Third’s parents take all of Third’s pens or markers away and refuses to let them write to their soulmates.
He worries even more when a line of red ink appears on his skin. He grabs one of his pens and scribbles quickly, Kid? Shouto doesn’t waste any time responding, saying that it’s not him. Shouta reaches out to Third, asking them if they’re there, if they’re okay, because why is it red? Is it even writing? Shouta worries that it’s something more dangerous than writing.
It is. It is more dangerous than writing, as black scratchy cramped writing appears on his skin. It’s a simple question and perhaps the first time that Third has ever responded to either of them. But it tells Shouta all he needs to know. that that red line… isn't ink. It's blood. His soul child is hurting themself and Shouta can do nothing to stop it. Shouto answers no to the question and anything they try to write after that is struck through with crimson.
Shouta is a fairly stoic person, but this makes his heart ache and his eyes water despite his dry eye. His child is hurting and Shouta can’t reach them because they refuse to accept any kind of help. He wants to find his second soul child and help them, but he has no idea who they are. If only they said something, anything to give away their identity. Instead they, whoever it was, remained silent.
~~~
Shouta is in the announcer’s booth when he feels his arm tingle in that familiar way again. It has to be Third, as Hizashi is in the booth with him and Shouto has no reason to be writing to him. He pulls his sleeve back and Hizashi mutes his mic for a second to lean over, as Shouta normally doesn’t roll up his sleeves. His husband grins widely at him, “Oh, Shou, is it your Third?!??”
Shouta nods, as he watches words form. It’s more analysis, like the first time Shouta got an inkling of the bond they shared. It’s fascinating and even includes lots of things that haven't occurred to Shouta. He’ll have to copy it down and share it with his students. It’s very useful. Somehow, whoever it is, manages to guess why Shouto doesn’t use the fire side of his Quirk. And no matter how much Shouta talks to the kid (Shouto), the boy refuses to budge on his view of his quirk.
Shouto must have felt the writing too, as it doesn’t take him long to respond to the notes about himself, which Third handily refutes. Shouta wonders if this will be a turning point, for either of his soul children. Shouto acknowledges Third’s words and later, Shouta sees Shouto reflecting on them. Shouto asks if Shouta could help him train his fire. Shouta smiles and agrees.
Shouta passes his Third’s notes to his class and helps the students refine the techniques and skills Third had scribbled down. Even when they ask, he refuses to say anything about the source, though Shouto knows perfectly well where this advice came from. However, Shouto doesn’t breathe a word of it to anyone. Shouta does wish Shouto would make some friends. He does get along with Yaoyorozu and Iida thankfully.
Shouta writes to Third, asking if he has any more tips for the kids in 1-A. Third never replies. And then he gets an alarming message on his left forearm, A stra some guy Shiggyra Shigaraki is threatening to decay me if you don’t show up followed by an address. Shouta jerks out of his seat and starts sprinting towards the address. It’s not one he knows, but it won’t be hard to find.
Somewhere deep inside of Shouta is profoundly concerned because the writing isn’t frantic or particularly hastily written, but is calm. There is nothing in that message that sounded particularly alarmed or scared and he knows it had to be Third writing because if anyone else wrote it, it wouldn’t have shown up. Shouta is frantic as he makes his way across the streets, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, not even bothering with a car or a train station, as he wonders how the hell Shigaraki found his Third when Shouta has no idea who it even is.
It doesn't take Shouta long to arrive. Luckily he can see Shigaraki from the storefront window. A cursory swing behind the building reveals a back employee-only entrance to surprise Shigaraki from. The villain has his back to him and Shouta can see him holding someone. He doesn’t really process the gun as Shigaraki spins to face him, but it doesn’t matter because his Third (he found him, he finally, finally found him) throws Shigaraki’s aim off by yanking on the arm that is holding him (threatening him) and biting into it (is Third some kind of feral child? ). Shigaraki drops the gun and Shouta swiftly uses his capture weapon to toss it out of reach. This doesn’t stop Shigaraki from putting his fifth finger down on his Third’s throat and Shouta… Shouta is about to lose his Third, whom he barely knew, but wanted to know. Shouta doesn’t think he can move.
But then his Third speaks, even through his decaying throat, “It’s okay, I’m Quirkless, so it doesn’t matter.” His Third (his soul child) is even smiling, like he’s (Shouta finally knows what pronouns he can use for Third, he had wondered for so long, though he supposes it wasn’t as long as he thought it had been) trying to reassure Shouta. Third’s words are more than enough to spur Shouta back into action, as he erases Shigaraki’s Quirk and binds him in his capture weapon. With a bit of perhaps overzealous force, Shouta cuffs Shigaraki and spots movement out of the corner of his eye. Third is trying to sneak away. Not on his watch. Shouta sends the end of his capture weapon not restraining Shigaraki, to his Third’s wrist, “Oh no, you don’t.”
His soul child stops and slides down, as he sits against a shelf, one hand to his throat, putting pressure on it, in an attempt to halt the blood flow. Good, Third is smart, it relieves Shouta a bit. Not much though. It doesn’t take long for a police officer to arrive and take Shigaraki away, so Shouta can focus on his soul child.
Shouta approaches quietly, but cautiously. This child has already shown themselves to be skittish and had just tried to run off. Shouta can't allow that to happen this time. He reaches towards the boy (who couldn’t possibly be any older than his own students) and says softly, “Come on, let’s wrap that wound, alright?”
The kid flinches back and Shouta stops. What has happened to his child that he fears touch? Shouta eases back, sitting on his haunches wondering who hurt his child and who he’ll have to kill to rectify their shortcomings.
Shouta is angry at the world, for failing his kids, for failing him, but the kid is the important thing now. Shouta watches as the kid curls in on himself, waiting for Shouta to lash out, for a scolding that will never come. Shouta’s not made to be soft, but he’s learned how to be in the past year with Shouto. He’s learned how to make his words coaxing and gentle, the same as they would be as if he was talking to a stray in the rain, “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to help you."
Third stares at him with big green eyes, disbelieving of his words, as he whispers in confusion, “But… I’m Quirkless.”
It’s difficult for Shouta to keep his voice level, calm, and even still there’s a tension in it he can’t quite remove as he asks, “Who made you believe that being quirkless meant no one would ever care for you the way you need?”
Shouta should be reassuring the boy that his Quirk status doesn't matter, will never matter to Shouta or his husband because both of them have known Quirk discrimination, been hated for something they couldn’t help and Shouta knows how much worse Quirkless discrimination is, has witnessed too many people be ignored by the community because it was known they were Quirkless. Shouta has never turned a blind eye and helps where he can, but he is only one man, fighting against a system that doesn't care about a whole class of people, in fact, he's fighting against an entire society that views people with quirks as less than human. Objects to be pity or worse, use. And Shouta has no influence over society, being such an unknown hero. Sometimes he wishes he did, he wishes he had influence, is a spotlight hero, but he knows he’d never make it. And Hizashi can't make too much of an outright statement or he’ll be crushed under the negativity and backlash for daring to stand up for ‘such useless creatures’. Shouta hates it and he hates the answer that spills out of his boy’s mouth.
“everyone. Everyone I’ve ever met.” Shouta loathes how he can believe that and know it’s true. His lips pinch, curl in on themselves as he does his best from outright growling. Instead, he tells him that it will be different, that he’s different, but not in so many words.
He reaches out slowly this time, and just places his hand on top of the kid’s, softly, requesting permission, as he asks, “May I bandage your wound?” Third is quiet and closes his eyes, probably thinking. Shouta doesn’t dare move any faster. He waits and slowly the kid takes his hand off his neck, silently giving Shouta permission. He doesn't hesitate to softly, but firmly wrap his soul child’s neck in gauze, carefully avoiding making any sudden movements that could startle him. He wants his kid to be comfortable. With that done, Shouta stands and offers his hand to Third, “Let’s get you to UA. I want Recovery Girl to heal that wound so you don’t get any nasty complications, and Todoroki will be eager to meet you.”
His soul child takes a slow breath and nods, but Shouta knows he still has a long way before he earns the kid’s trust and voice. But it’s a start. It’s a start. And now that Shouta has found Third, he has no plans on letting them go. Not if Shigaraki found them. But he wouldn’t have let him go once found anyways.
No matter who Third is, Shouta’s been on his side from the first analysis, from the first bit of ink staining his skin from the kid. He just needs to show the kid that. But it will all come in time, Shouta knows. It took time with Shouto. This would only be a bit different.