Chapter 8: A Temporary Place
MHA and its characters, whether in written or visual formats, belong to Kohei Horikoshi.
Two and a half months.
That was exactly how long Miyobi Akaya put up with Izuku.
When the Miyobi's told Izuku he was leaving, just as September came to a close, the strained peace Izuku had tried to establish at home and school felt pointless, especially since he had only been attending the new school for about a month.
After the first morning, when Ginro left the fish on the front mat, Izuku tried to stay out of their way. He kept to his room unless he was going to school, completing chores, or the few times he slipped away to meet with Ginro and Kekyu.
In an attempt to make up for not helping his mother around the house as much as he believed he should have, now that she was gone, Izuku gave his all to help the Miyobi's when they told him to help with chores. He wanted to be in their good graces if he had to stay longer than what they called normal.
For a while, his attempts seemed to work. There were no more confrontations. So, despite their clear annoyance with his presence, he thought he was doing what they wanted by staying out of the way, but a few days before they told him he was leaving, he made the blunder that ended it all.
Who knew being too good at trying to help – trying too hard to get them to like him despite being quirkless – would backfire so spectacularly?
On a late-September evening, Izuku entered the Miyobi home after an excursion to see Ginro and Kekyu. Izuku smiled softly to himself as he slid off his shoes, remembering the fish they had eaten together. While Izuku still did not know if he wanted to continue his path toward being a hero, Ginro had convinced him to start meditating again that afternoon. Slipping into the relaxed state actually felt good. Unlike how having the meals with the two yokai stirred up conflicted feelings of gratitude, guilt, sadness, and a wealth of other emotions. Once settled, his senses expanded, and he felt a wave of calm overwhelm him. His mind felt clear for the first time since arriving at the Miyobi's.
The two yokai had tried before, with little success, but today, he humored them. After all, this was the first time he had done so since his mother's death, but he was glad he did.
As Izuku slipped off his shoes and placed them on the shoe rack by the door, he announced his presence, "I'm back!"
Miyobi Akaya huffed but called out, "Finally! Set the table. Dinner will be ready soon."
Despite the fact that she could not see him, Izuku nodded reflexively, "Yes, ma'am."
One of Izuku's regular household chores was to set the table, and as Izuku moved toward the kitchen, he saw a thin woman with very long hair sitting on the couch. Izuku nodded to her, and she nodded back.
Now, the Miyobi's enjoyed having friends over for dinner. While living with his mother, when her friends visited, she always told him. The Miyobi's never gave him forewarning.
Still, on the occasions when one of their friends did show up, he would set the table for the guest as well. Then, he would silently listen to their conversation during the meal, paying only enough attention to know when he needed to respond to a question directed at him. Most of their friends were genial, but it still made Izuku feel uncomfortable – all the newness.
It did not help that the frequency with which they had guests nailed home how isolated his mother had been over the last few years.
Izuku glanced at Miyobi Akaya and remembered the last time a guest came over unannounced. He had asked if he should set the table for four, and Miyobi-san's response had been a curt "Of course."
So, Izuku bit his lip and silently pulled plates from the cupboard and set them around the table while Miyobi Akaya continued to cook, humming a tune as she went.
Izuku glanced between her and the guest, wondering if Miyobi Akaya would introduce them, but he continued to do as instructed, grabbing four sets of chopsticks and placing them around the table as well. It was not until he went to grab water glasses that Miyobi-san turned to place a plate of vegetables on the table. When she saw the four place settings, she stopped short and spun to face Izuku.
"Why are there four place settings, Izuku? Did you invite a friend without letting us know?" She asked curtly.
Izuku jerked to a halt, face palling, as he looked over at the "guest" who had been sitting on the couch. The "guest" now stood in the hall between the kitchen and the living room, staring at Izuku, a wide grin on her pale face.
Izuku looked back at Miyobi Akaya.
"Oh, I uh…"
He looked back at the yokai with the woman-like figure. Only now did he see the sharp tips at the ends of her very long hair. Izuku quickly broke eye contact. There were several types of yokai where eye contact was to be avoided at all costs.
"What are you looking at? Answer the question!" Miyobi Akaya snapped.
"Oh, umm." Izuku jerked to face Miyobi Akaya. Despite not wanting to make eye contact with the yokai, Izuku still wanted to keep it in his line of sight. He settled for keeping the giggling yokai in his peripheral vision. "I, uh, thought you had a guest," Izuku whispered.
Miyobi Akaya stiffened, looking at Izuku incredulously, "Why would you think that?"
"I, well…," Izuku clenched and unclenched his fist.
Think, Izuku, think!
The sound of the giggling yokai invaded his mind, but Izuku tried to shut out the noise, "I thought I heard you talking about having a guest over last night."
Miyobi Akaya raised an eyebrow, "When? We ate dinner together, just like a family should, and at no point in that very one-sided conversation did we discuss having a guest over, Izuku."
Izuku trembled, the glasses in his hands clinking together.
Dumb, Izuku. Dumb! You know, some yokai look very human-like!
Miyobi Akaya sighed exasperatedly, "I know you've had a rough time, given all that happened before you came to live with us, but it's been over two months."
Izuku flinched, but Miyobi Akaya continued, "Everyone has troubles. So, your mother's passing or moving in the middle of the school year does not give you an excuse to lie to get attention from us. I don't want you doing that again, you hear?"
Izuku nodded, numbness spreading through him at the mention of his mother. Unbidden, memories of blood spreading across the ground rose from the back of his mind at the sound of another loud giggle from the yokai. His eyes darted toward it but quickly centered back on Miyobi Akaya. He could see her eye twitching as she tried to control her temper.
"Now," she began as she set the pan with dinner none-to-gently on the table, "put those glasses down before you accidentally drop them, for pity's sake, and then put away the extra place setting."
Turning, she moved back toward the stove and the soup in the pot.
Without looking at the now cackling yokai and keeping a wary eye on Miyobi Akaya, Izuku did as he was told.
The yokai, trembling from its fit of giggles, remained standing in the hall staring at Izuku for the rest of the evening, doubling over every time Izuku glanced at it or Miyobi Akaya glared at Izuku.
As soon as Izuku was allowed to leave the table, he sequestered himself in his room, drawing up and imbuing a few talismans with his spiritual energy. While he had made the talismans for the school, he had not dared make any for the Miyobi house before. After all, the only yokai he had ever seen so far in the house was the globular yokai that had followed them back from the funeral home. While it was annoying, it was not bad enough for Izuku to worry about it. It preferred following the two Miyobi's around anyway.
As soon as he was done making the talismans, Izuku sat stiffly on the bed, listening for the sound of the Miyobi's footsteps going up the stairs. Soon, all fell silent, and assuming that the Miyobi's were in bed, Izuku slipped out of his room and stuck the talismans in hidden corners around the house.
As soon as he was done, Izuku released some spiritual pressure – just like he did when he set the talismans in both schools.
Then, with a corner of his lip twitching upward, he watched as the female-like yokai hissed and fled the house, shaking its fist the whole way.
Izuku sighed as he felt another refreshing feeling wash over him. Using his spiritual energy to safeguard the house made the entire place feel more peaceful. He briefly wondered if this would make the Miyobi's more amiable toward him. Even if they still found his quirklessness a nuisance, even the bullies eased up after Izuku set the talismans at school.
So far, Izuku had not regretted using the talismans to rid the new school of yokai, which had been a good choice, even if, this time, he had not been able to banish all of the yokai. A few were too strong to be banished by the talismans, but they were enough to make the school uncomfortable for the yokai. So, none tried to confront him directly.
On top of that, the lack of retaliation for setting the talismans in the school had bolstered his confidence.
Maybe everything will be alright.
Izuku smiled, slipped back down the hall to the bedroom, and then dove under the covers, curling up as he breathed the newly freshened air in the household.
Unfortunately, the peace only lasted a few days before Miyobi Akaya angrily called for him.
"Midoriya Izuku!"
Izuku scampered down the hallway to the front of the house.
"Yes, Miyobi-san."
"What is this?"
Miyobi-san held up one of the talismans Izuku had hidden in the living room.
"Oh, well, they're good luck charms?"
Miyobi Akaya clicked her tongue, "Did you have them in your old home?"
Before Izuku could answer, she continued, "Just because you had these in your old home does not mean you can set them up here. Are there more of these? What did you call them? Charms?"
Izuku flinched, "Well."
"Clean them up now. I want all of them gone before you go to bed."
"Oh, but!"
"No buts! You're already a hard case, and I don't want shoddy pieces of paper sticking all around my house. What about when you go to another home? Am I going to be finding them all over once you're gone!"
Izuku flinched, and Miyobi-san looked down at him.
"You know this is just a temporary home, right? We take in kids who need a place to stay until they find a more permanent home. So, don't treat our home like your own. Save it for the next one."
Izuku nodded, biting his lip.
"Good, now clean these up."
Trembling, Izuku slipped behind the couch and took down the second and last talisman he had placed in the living room. Izuku glanced at the kitchen, a look Miyobi-san caught.
"Are there more?"
Izuku flinched.
"You're ten years old, for pity's sake. You're old enough to know that such nonsense is fake. I can't believe you actually believe in those old wives' tales about yokai."
Izuku's head whipped up to look at her.
Miyobi Akaya waved the talisman still in her hand, "You think I don't know what these are? The kooky old lady sells them at the spring fair. Even she knows they're not for real. Now clean up the rest."
Miyobi-san followed Izuku until he had peeled back the last of the talismans, at which point the curious-looking blob-like yokai, the very same one who had followed Miyobi Kenichi around the funeral home, slunk back into the house.
Izuku sighed. While he had not bothered with the blob-like yokai because it mostly left him alone, it had caused him to trip several times when it got underfoot. Setting the talismans to rid the home of the woman-like yokai also rid the house of the blob-like yokai.
Izuku had not missed it.
Izuku worried his lip. The tall woman-like yokai had been banished from the home, but now that the talismans were gone, she could come back.
Miyobi Akaya sighed, "At least you removed them. Now, go back to your room."
Izuku turned and immediately tripped over the blob yokai, who was greedily crawling toward Miyobi-san, hungry to feed off her annoyed and disgusted aura.
She tsked.
Izuku, hands and knees stinging from the fall, froze as his stomach twisted in shame after having tripped over the yokai so soon after its return.
"Stand up, Izuku. For pity's sake. You're always tripping over nothing." Miyobi Akaya sighed, exasperated.
Izuku stood and bolted for his room, face crimson.
Stupid, you just saw it. You knew it was going to come over to her! What the heck?
Rubbing tears from his eyes, Izuku dove into his bed after gently shutting the door. There was no point in slamming it; that would only annoy her more, and then he really would have to leave.
In the kitchen that night, when the Miyobi's assumed Izuku was asleep, they held yet another meeting.
"I'm not keeping him here. He's strange and keeps to himself, and he had these talisman things all over the house. He trips over nothing, and that one night, he set out an extra place setting with no explanation."
"Akaya, these are all mundane problems. We've had much more troubling children in the past, and you were okay with them." Miyobi Kenichi dismissed his wife.
"But they weren't quirkless. He's already trouble waiting to happen, and the talismans could have done damage by sticking to the walls. If he's doing this stuff now, what will he start doing next?"
"Well, we can always ask them to speed up the process to place him in his next home…"
"We're only supposed to be a stopping point. Most would have had a home by now."
"And some stayed over half a year. The longest was here for… what? About nine months?"
"Yes, but she was a sweet little girl with a basic water quirk and didn't avoid us!"
"Don't you think you're being harsh? You don't really talk to him either."
Miyobi Akaya huffed, "If he wanted to stay, he should have been sweet to us too. Instead, he stares at things that aren't there and talks to himself – it's creepy. I've talked to you about this before. Tell them to find someone, anyone! They've been putting it off, haven't they?"
Miyobi Kenichi sighed, "Fine. I'll call the agency in the morning and ask them to find him a new home. I'll tell them we're ready to take in the next kid that needs a place to stay."
In the darkened hallway, just out of sight, Izuku once again slipped away from the unseeing adults. He had not been in the Miyobi house for long, but he also had not bothered to count how many times he had eavesdropped on the pair as they talked about him.
Once in his room, Izuku opened the closet and pulled out the box he had used to pack his memorabilia when he left his home. Unfolding it, he put it together and sat staring before slowly standing and starting to pack his hero memorabilia, wrapping each carefully before placing it in the box.
Only two days later, with the first of October looming, Izuku was moving out of the Miyobi household. Apparently, the adults had a very lengthy discussion before the social worker arrived because as soon as she came, she merely greeted the Miyobi's and, without much further ado, helped Izuku move his things into the car, and they were off.
Izuku deliberately ignored the social worker's very perplexed and suspicious glances through the rearview mirror the entire way to the new family's house. The ride was mostly silent until they were only a few minutes away.
"This family is new to fostering, but they want to help. The mother also lost one of her parents to a villain attack when she was young. So, she knows what that's like. They've only fostered once before, but we think this will be good for you."
Izuku perked up at the social worker's words. Wondering if this home would be better, but he also doubted the "mom" could understand. Just because someone had a similar experience did not mean they could understand another's situation, nor did it mean they would help the quirkless kid. There were teachers who proved that every year.
Izuku nodded at the social worker's words, and his eyes fell to his hands.
But maybe she'll understand why it's so hard to talk and so hard to feel – while feeling too much. Will she get it?
So, Izuku remained cautious while also allowing a little glimmer of hope to spark.
When they arrived, the new family was all smiles, making Izuku feel much better. However, the words the Miyobi's said when they thought he was not listening still echoed in his ears.
That night, Izuku sat in his new room, curled up on his new bed and leaning against the windowsill, eyes cast skyward as he watched the stars slowly turn across the sky – hoping this second foster family would be more comfortable than the first.
Far across Japan, back in Musutafu, Eraserhead sat on a roof overlooking the alleyways on his patrol route, still listening for desperate cries for help. His thoughts turned as the night progressed undisturbed.
A grim line settled over his features as he thought about the events from just over two months ago and the young boy he had saved from an invisible assailant.
Eraser sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had classes to teach and a patrol route to run, and when he did find time to ask about the boy, no one seemed to know who he was talking about.
Unfortunately, it had taken nearly two weeks of overtime hero work to finish rounding up the escaped criminals. Thankfully, summer break had started a few days after the escape, but so had the end-of-trimester grading. By the time he was finally about to stop by the hospital, the boy was gone.
Unfortunately, the hospital was busy and had not kept track of where the boy who was orphaned in their halls went. Even with Eraser's description, without knowing the names of the victims, that Inko had, in fact, passed, or that Izuku was quirkless, Eraser was unable to give the hospital enough information to help him identify the mother and child he had attempted to save. Not to mention, the privacy laws he normally applauded were a serious obstruction despite being the hero who rescued the child.
Eraser sighed again and jumped to the next roof. He needed to let out some energy, knowing full well that sitting in one place would not help.
Like always, the dark and currently invisible Maneki Neko followed. It felt no obligation to help the two humans meet again. After all, it had already fulfilled its obligation to help the young child who was now healed and living with a new family.
And so, the night passed.
Chapter 9: A New Home
MHA and its characters, whether in written or visual formats, belong to Kohei Horikoshi.
Everything ached.
Izuku sat on the swings in a park by his fifth foster family's home. His eyes drifted toward movement at his feet, where a little mouse-looking yokai scuttled around in front of him. Izuku knew it was a yokai because it walked on its hind legs and wore a light grey yukata.
Izuku sighed as his hand gently glossed over still healing burns and bruises. His eyes squeezed shut as images of raised fists and glowing cigarettes flashed across his vision. The fourth home had been the worst by far.
No! Don't think about it!
Izuku curled inward, eyes still shut as he clutched the chains holding up the swing.
He kicked the ground, and the swing rocked back and forth slowly. He shivered, but not from the cold, and his stomach flip-flopped. He had only arrived at the new family's apartment an hour before, but he had quickly asked to take a walk and found his way to the park he had seen on the way.
What will this home be like? I bet…
"Hey, there!"
A kindly voice drew Izuku out of his head.
Izuku slowly opened his eyes. When he looked up, he saw a young lady with pink hair standing in front of him. He recognized her as the woman who had been talking happily with the Kobayashi's when the social worker had pulled up to their apartment. Once Izuku was out of the car, she bid goodbye and returned to her own unit.
Why is she here?
Izuku made a small noise in the back of his throat.
He had sought out the lonely playground for solitude after a harrowing day of being poked and prodded by a doctor, asked questions by the social worker and police about how the fourth family, the Kato's, had treated him, and moved to a new home.
All of it was too much to process at once.
Now, Izuku's solitude had been interrupted. Even so, Izuku nodded to the woman, who had kept her smile in place all the while. Izuku knew he could fall into silent contemplation and that people often thought he was ignoring them.
He peeked at the woman, worried that he might have offended her.
She just waved, "I just wanted to say hi! I'm Anya, a friend of the Kobayashi's. So, we'll be formally introduced soon, but you know." She shrugged.
Izuku tried to smile. He wanted to trust her smile, but others had fooled him with false smiles before.
Anya-san plopped down on the swing next to him – and said nothing more.
The two sat there for a while, and Izuku watched her out of the corner of his eye.
Eventually, his polite habits – that had not been stamped out over the near two years since his mother's death – forced him to acknowledge her.
"Hi," he whispered.
"Hiya!" Anya-san smiled back, then sobered. "You know," she said softly, "I was in the foster system too."
Izuku's head shot up, heart rate jumping.
Anya nodded, "Not for long, though. I was about fourteen when I entered the system. So, a bit older than you are now. Thankfully, I was able to go to High School, but after I graduated, I was on my own. I hope to be able to foster one day, too, but my job is pretty demanding, and I don't want to half-ass fostering, you know?"
Izuku felt his eyes grow hot at her candid demeanor. Honda-san, the second family's mom, had not understood why Izuku was so withdrawn despite having lost a parent herself. She did not understand what it was like to be a foster child.
Izuku studied Anya for a moment, then broke eye contact and took a shuddering breath.
She might get it. A-and, she feels like… her aura feels warm….
Izuku sniffled.
No, don't cry.
Anya-san smiled softly, her face as sympathetic and understanding as the monk's. Her voice was closer to a light soprano, but he could feel it flooding through him all the same.
"You don't have to be ashamed of being in the foster system. Since most kids end up in an institution in Japan, fostering is rare. Kids made fun of me for it. But I also know some other foster kids didn't have to deal with that. I don't know your story, but if you need to talk, the Kobayashi's have fostered before taking in Yuki-chan. She's been with them for over two years now. They have a bunch of experience and are always ready to listen, even if Hinata-san is a bit gruff on the outside. And I can listen, too."
Izuku choked back a sob, nodding.
The woman did not move closer but continued to sit on the swing next to him. That suited Izuku well as he took several steadying breaths. His healing skin pulled and burned, protesting his clenched fists and the way he rubbed at his eyes.
The two sat there in silence until the sun touched the horizon.
Anya sighed and softly spoke, "We should go back. Hinata-san is big on being on time for dinner."
Izuku only nodded and followed Anya-san as she stood and began to walk back toward the apartments. Kobayashi Kaoru stood by the front door, brow furrowed, but her look softened as soon as she saw Izuku walking back with Anya-san, who called out, "He was at the park!"
"Thank you, Anya," Kaoru-san called back.
Izuku bowed to Anya-san, who smiled merrily and waved Izuku off before once again returning to her unit.
Izuku's eyes followed her. Then, he turned to gauge Kaoru-san's expression closely as he worried that he might have come back too late.
Kaoru-san gently waved Izuku inside, "I'm glad you made it back for dinner. It's almost ready. Hinata is finishing up the meat. He's very picky about how it's grilled. So, if you think it's too rare or too well done, let us know. Goodness knows the man is picky, but in his case, it makes him more sensitive to others rather than forcing his way," she chuckled.
Izuku bit his lip again, gnawing at it as he tried to hold back more tears.
Kaoru-san smiled softly, "Let's eat dinner, and then we unpack. If you want the help?"
Tears slid from the corners of Izuku's eyes as he nodded, "Y-ye…," his legs gave out.
"Oh, dear," Kaoru-san knelt by Izuku's side and raised a hand, stopping before she touched him, "Do you want a hug? Or is it okay if I touch your shoulder? It won't hurt?"
Izuku nodded, launching himself into Kaoru-san's outstretched arms before crying himself to sleep.
Izuku's eyes blinked open and slowly traveled across an unfamiliar room that surprisingly held very familiar things.
While his posters were not hanging up around the room, the figurines were lined up neatly on the shelves above the desk, which also held all the basic school necessities neatly arranged on top of it.
He could even see his clothing hanging in the closet and his notebooks, along with several other books, populating the bookshelf.
When he dropped his things off in the room the day before, it was the supplies and books already in the room that surprised him.
Hinata-san had proudly declared that they had tried to find things an eleven-year-old soon-to-be twelve-year-old would want in their room.
Izuku remembered feeling nervous and overwhelmed by the gesture. None of the other families had thought to do the same. So, at the time, Izuku quickly put his things down and asked to go for a walk since he had been couped up in the doctor's office and car all day. The Kobayashi's agreed, encouraging him to take a look around before dinner.
Now, as the morning light streamed into the room, Izuku rolled over, tucking his head under the blankets. Everything they did was so different from all the other families, from their preparation before he arrived to their kindness when he cried himself to sleep, obviously ruining their dinner plans and making it so they had to unpack for him. It felt strange.
I wonder if the social worker skipped telling them I'm quirkless this time.
Izuku shuddered. This was his fifth home in less than two years. In a few days, he would start sixth grade and, in summer, turn twelve. The second anniversary of his mother's death was approaching. He felt like it had been years – like he should be turning twenty, not twelve.
The sound of movement outside the room made Izuku freeze and clutch the blankets tighter. His breath quickened, even as he tried to muffle it, and his whole body jerked at the sound of a light rap on the door.
"Izuku? Are you awake? If you're feeling up to it, breakfast will be ready in half an hour."
Izuku could imagine Kaoru-san standing on the other side of the door with the same soft, worried expression on her face as the day before.
He remembered her soft assurances as he cried himself to sleep, and his face went crimson. He missed dinner after they specifically asked him to be on time for it and spent so much time working on putting it together.
Even if they were nice about it last night – it wasn't just a dream. Was it?
His heart hammering, Izuku looked about the room once more. Everything was neat and tidy. It was obvious that they had been careful when unpacking some of his things for him after he cried himself to sleep.
"Izuku?"
Izuku shuttered, willing himself to speak.
Hinata-san's voice floated through the door. "He must still be asleep. He had a rough day yesterday."
Izuku's heart pounded.
They're okay. They don't seem like they're the same as the others. Say something! You have to, or they might also…
"All right," Koru-san's voice drifted through.
Izuku squeezed his eyes shut and, trembling, called out, "I'll be there soon!"
He heard Kaoru-san's surprised but happy gasp, "Very good! See you soon, Izuku!"
Izuku peeked out from under the blankets as he listened to the Kobayashi's move down the hallway. Once he was sure they were out of hearing, Izuku slipped out of the bed and darted for the closet. Quickly, he slipped into the narrow space and pulled down some of the clothing. None of the clothing he had brought with him from his home fit anymore. It was all a collection of items from the first three homes. He had not been with the last family, the Kato's long enough, and it was not like they would have bought anything for him anyway. Izuku shuttered at the thought of them and tried not to touch the worst of the burns and bruises.
Izuku peeked around the closet door, checking to make sure the bedroom door was still firmly closed.
I wonder if they'll let me go shopping for new ones.
He did not like wearing the clothes the other families bought him. They only served as a reminder of each of the previous families and, thus, why he had to leave. But, if the Kobayashi's did not want him buying new things, even at a discount, then he would be stuck wearing them until he grew out of them and necessitated larger sizes.
Izuku slipped into his clothing and, noticing a hamper in the closet, hesitatingly dropped his outfit from the day before inside. Peeking out from behind the closet door again, Izuku emerged and slipped toward the bedroom door, where he hesitated, listening before slowly opening it and slipping into the hall.
He felt silly, but the pounding of his heart necessitated the caution.
Moving quietly down the hall, Izuku approached the front of the apartment. He could hear the clinking and clanking of dishes and pots mixing with the Kobayashi's voices.
Kaoru-san's voice was light and cheerful, "Today seems like a good day. It's sunny and clear."
"They aren't calling for rain. So, maybe we take Izuku on a tour of the town later?" Hinata-san suggested.
"Oh, that would be wonderful! We can show Izuku all the places where the cool kids hang out."
"Yes, my dear, because you're so hip." Hinata bumped his wife with his hip as he spoke, his smile widening.
"Oh, don't tease. Hana talked about some of them when she visited last, practically ran off to hang out with her friends."
"She's growing up. She doesn't want to hang out with her old parents anymore."
"I know, I know. They all have to leave the nest at some point, but it is a bit sad."
"The next time she visits, we'll need to sit down and have a conversation about college. The parent-teacher meetings about career paths are coming up since she's a third year now."
Izuku peeked around the corner to see Kaoru-san nodding at her husband's last statement, "Yes, and we need to think through the finances."
Hinata-san nodded, "She has her nest egg to do with as she pleases. Oh, I already set up an account for Izuku."
"You did!?" Kaoru's smile widened before she turned back to the dishes, "We'll have to let him know. I'm sure he'll like having a nest egg of his own. I don't think he has one."
Hinata-san frowned, "No. I'm not sure what happened, but he doesn't."
"I'd ask what the other families were doing if we hadn't heard he's been having a hard time."
"I don't think the social worker knows half of it. Hana had a tough time too, but the social worker who brought her had a much better grasp of the situation."
"That she did!" Kaoru-san stated, smacking the dishcloth on the counter. Izuku flinched but continued watching and listening in fascination. "This one seems to think everything is Izuku's fault. Given what happened yesterday…"
"Hmmm." Hinata nodded, "She seem quite frazzled. There's more going on here than we know. We'll give him the time and space he needs."
"And therapy if he wants it. I have no idea why he hasn't seen one before, given the circumstances. It's not shameful, after all. Mental health is important too, and he's been through so much."
"I'm assuming the state expected the foster families to take him."
"And, yet, he hasn't seen one. Izuku deserves just as much as all the other children, but…"
"Others don't seem to think so," Hinata sighed. "Well," he turned to face Kaoru-san, "Let's give him as much as we can."
Kaoru-san smiled, "Yes."
Izuku leaned his back against the wall and, rubbing his eyes, took steading breaths. The war raging inside fought between hope and doubt, and Izuku felt all the more guilty because a large part of him could not trust this was real.
After a few steadying breaths, Izuku peeked around the corner again and, with a soft "good morning," tiptoed into the kitchen.
Kaoru-san turned around, and a dazzling smile lit up her face, "Good morning, Izuku!"
Izuku took a step back, but Kaoru-san's smile remained.
"Breakfast will be ready in just a minute. Have a seat, and we'll bring everything over."
"You don't want me to help?"
Kaoru-san and Hinata-san shared a look before replying, "No. Just relax for today."
Izuku hesitated and, twitching ever so often, sat in one of the kitchen chairs as the Kobayashi's finished prepping breakfast and presented it with a smile.
Izuku's hesitations regardless, breakfast was a silent but peaceful affair, and once it was done, Kaoru-san shooed him to the living room to relax, "We'll join you once we've washed the dishes."
As soon as the dishes were dry and put away, Hinata-san and Kaoru-san joined Izuku in the living room.
Kaoru-san started the conversation, "We want to lay down some ground rules and let you know a bit about us. Does that sound good, Izuku?"
Izuku nodded. "Yes," he whispered.
Hinata-san picked up, "Okay. First, you should know that we are also fostering a young lady named Hana-chan. She's attending an all-girls school with a dorm system. She'll visit, but she's not here often anymore. So, for the most part, it will just be the three of us. Second, we do dinner as a family to check in with each other. So, if you're going to eat out with friends, you only need to let us know.
"We would also like to meet your friends' families. This lets us keep tabs in case something happens. We'll provide you with a phone, too, so you can call us at any time. You can even call us to pick you up from school if you need it. Hana called a few times. So, feel free to take advantage, but you should call us if you need to leave school for the day. Your health is our number one priority. Also, the social worker told us a little bit about what happened in your past homes, but some of it is still under review. So, we'll only learn about it if you choose to tell us. However, don't feel obliged. We're here if you want to talk."
Kaoru-san smiled, "Yes, and about school, the social worker registered you at the nearby elementary school. Given all the moving you've done over the last two years, you've done a good job keeping up with your studies, even if it seems like some of your grades are a bit low. Hana had lower grades, too. We know that you're going through a lot, which makes it hard to keep up. So, we'll give you all the support we can."
"Yes," Hinata-san nodded. "On another note, we'll need to discuss finances, but we can do that in more detail at another time. We've set up a savings account for you, and most of the money from the state will go there. Some of it will go toward helping to buy your clothing and for school trips, but we want most of it to be a saving account for your use and to set you up once you're old enough to leave the system."
Izuku nodded, eyeing them warily. While a family looking to help him manage and learn personal financing was new, eating as a 'family' was not new. The second home had started out alright when it came to school, but the third family had been the best. The third family was very adamant against quirk discrimination and had been vigilant for any signs that the school was using his quirk status against him – at least until the incident.
Izuku shuddered as images of their disappointed faces and scolding voices flashed through his mind. Izuku took shuttering breaths.
Don't think about it.
Hinata-san and Kaoru-san shared a look as Izuku went rigid.
"Do you need a break, Izuku?" Kaoru-san asked gently.
Izuku peeked at them through his bangs and shook his head.
"Now, we also need to…" Kaoru-san paused and took a deep breath, "I know you went once already, but we need to go to the doctor again. It's important to make sure everything is healing well."
Izuku flinched and watched Kaoru-san out of the corner of his eye. He looked away but then nodded.
She didn't do anything last night. She even asked before touching me. It will be okay – it will. Say it's okay.
Izuku took a shuttering breath and whispered, "Okay."
Kaoru-san nodded, "We'll set up an appointment for tomorrow or the day after. We want to make sure you get to the doctor at least once before school starts." She smiled, "You're starting sixth grade, so it's your last year of elementary school. Are you excited for Middle School?"
Izuku nodded, but only to please them. School was difficult at best, and he was sure middle school would be worse than elementary school, especially as the material got harder. It would only be easier for the teachers to find fault with his work.
Izuku bit his lip, "I used to live in Musutafu, and I think I was going to go to Aldrea Middle School."
Hinata-san hummed, "Well, while you can choose your High School, we'd need to do some paperwork for you to attend a different middle school. Musutafu and Hamamatsu are adjacent cities." He paused, "You'll need to travel further to go to Aldrea Middle School if you want to attend that school, but the middle school nearby has a higher rank."
Kobayashi Hinata took a sip of coffee, his gaze steady and firm. Izuku broke eye contact after a moment and glanced at Kauro-san.
Kauro-san smiled gently, "We heard from the social worker that you want to go to U.A., right, Izuku? The middle school near here will help prepare you better. There are so many things you could do! The business course, support work, and even the general education courses are excellent at U.A."
Izuku blinked. The Kobayashi's seemed to misunderstand.
But all the same, they didn't say no. The social worker probably told them to try and change my mind, but at least they think I can pass the general exam.
She didn't mention the hero course. Of course, a quirkless kid can't be a hero. But at least they aren't saying no to U.A. outright – like everyone else."
Izuku looked into their smiling faces. Now, they were talking about the plans for a day of fun around the town. Izuku listened and joined in a few times, but one thought wriggled in and settled in the back of his mind.
What will they say if I actually decide to use the sight as my "quirk" after not having one? Would they believe me? Would they suggest the hero course themselves?
As Izuku settled into bed that evening, he reminisced about the day. He and the Kobayashi's had "explored" the town, even if it was more like the Kobayashi's acting as tour guides.
Izuku's lip twitched into a small smile, and he snuggled deeper into the soft sheets.
Hana-san had met up with them for lunch, and she seemed nice to Izuku. She did not stay long since she had club activities that afternoon – they were preparing for the new year and thus had to put together recruitment material for the incoming freshmen.
Izuku wiggled a bit, trying to find a comfier position. The Kobayashi's and Hana-san had been nice – he hoped it would stay that way.
He also learned that the Kobayashi's had a special license, which was why they were able to take him in after the way the Kato's had treated him. It allowed them to take on children from more difficult situations.
At the thought of the special license, he remembered the social worker's words from the day before when they were still driving to the Kobayashi's apartment.
….
"They have a special license. So, they have the necessary training to help after what happened with the Kato's."
Izuku had only nodded slowly, and the social worker sighed, "Look, I know the last home wasn't your fault…" Izuku flinched. Unseeing, the social worker continued, "But you have to try to connect with your families. At least we're at the beginning of the school year this time. So, that will make things easier at school, right? And you're starting sixth grade! Only one more year until Middle School. It must be exciting!"
Izuku had tried to smile, but it was hard. The social worker had only sighed, and the rest of the ride was silent.
….
Izuku sighed as he came back to the present.
After today, he was hopeful that the Kobayashi's would be better than all the previous homes, but no home was quite like living with his mother. The words spoken by previous foster 'parents' when they thought he was not listening and when they knew he was listening lingered, seeping into his mind like slow-acting venom – making him feel weaker and more sluggish with every repeat.
Now, while hopeful, worry that the Kobayashi's would turn on him, just like the others, plagued him. He would have to be particularly careful about recognizing the difference between humans and yokai. After all, failing to distinguish between them was what had ended is stay at both the first and third homes – the Miyobi's and the Shimizu's.
Izuku snuggled even deeper and eventually fell asleep.