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To say Shouta never expected to see his capture weapon again after the storm blew it away was an understatement so to get a letter of all things from it? And then, when they tracked it down to the school it had talked about in that same letter, to watch it block a blow from a so-called teacher aimed at a tiny little green-haired child and then climb out of the kids' bag, crouching like, well, exactly like a tree octopus, well…
Colour his mind blown!
Stuffing all that down to the back of his mind he let muscle memory take over as he slammed the adult against the wall, slapped suppressant cuffs on their wrists, and dragged them from the room. Thankfully they had called Tsukauchi for assistance already so he and officer Sansa were already in the school when it all went down so he could hand the assailant off and get back to the kid.
Kids?
Walking in just in time to catch a jumble of words from the little fluffy kid he was blindsided by the awe and wonder in the suddenly raised voice as he said, “OH MY GOSH, l-l-look Paxa l-look look look, it's Eraserhead!!! He c-came too!”
Watching as the scarf gave what could only be described as a shy wave and then SIGN!!! “Yes, I see! I told you he would come, or if not him, then Present Mic. I am glad I was right because I was really worried at the end that I might be wrong.”
Aiming itself more at the two pros they watched it continue, “Thank you so much for coming, that person was very unkind, not just to Izuku but to several of the other students as well. And their nephew is a horrible child and hurts the other children too.”
“Will you take Izuku to a safe place now? He needs it.”
Shouta watched as it wrapped the now crying child - ‘Izuku, kids name is Izuku!’ - in what could only be a hug and turned to Hizashi a little bit desperately, he wasn't good with little kids and was so out of his depth with the person that his scarf now seemed to be that he may as well have been swimming above the Marianas Trench!
A soothing stroke of a hand down his arm and Zashi was on the case…
“This day seems to have been really long already so how about we get out of here and go somewhere more comfortable? We can grab some ice cream on the way to the station and then, after you tell us all about it yo, then we can go get some proper dinner, howz that sound kiddos, like a plan?”
Watching the expected finger guns flash and the kid copy them back with a “Yeah!” had him hiding his own grin behind his replacement weapon. Seeing his old scarf attempt to mimic the motion, albeit unsuccessfully, had him huffing in equal parts amusement and bafflement, ‘How can it be alive?’ he wondered but, despite what the support company had repeatedly told him, loudest of all when he tried to tell them how it had behaved just before he lost it, that it was just technology, NOT LIFE!!!
‘Yeah, fuck that shit, no one acts like this that isn’t alive!' He thought as, when the kid stood up and took Hizashi’s hand, it clearly studied the handholding and then asked about it.
******
‘Why do Izuku and Hizashi have their hands together? Is there something wrong….I will ask, then I will know instead of wondering!’
Stretching its “hands” down in front of Izuku it signed, “ Why are your hands together? Are you unwell? Do you need help walking? Can I do anything for you? Please te… ” when Izuku, with a laugh, caught both its hands and held them still.
Grinning, he said, “This pays you back for covering my mouth when I talk too much for you to get a word in Paxa!” He giggled as Paxa twitched its hands a bit, not trying to escape but to show its appreciation of the humor, trying to still a full-length vibration running through it. Setting aside the reaction to think about later it gripped tighter to Izuku’s bag straps and shoulders, as well as his hands, waiting for the explanation.
It didn't expect it to be from Hizashi though, or for him to crouch down to be more on an “eye” level with it. “Heya Paxa, that's a really great question! And I’m really glad you asked instead of just wondering about it!” (‘Hizashi is glad I asked? WOW! ’) “When people hold hands it usually means they like each other, or that one or both need emotional support, or that they are just feeling friendly. This time it's cause I thought Izuku seemed a little scared still from everything that's been going on so holding a safe adult's hand might give him a bit of comfort and confidence.”
Grinning at Izuku, he asked, “Is it working Lil One?”
Hearing Izuku chirp “Yep, it's really nice, I haven' gotten ta hold anyone's hand in like forever!” Suddenly frowning he turned his head as much as he could to look directly at Paxa’s main bundle which it immediately leaned to the side to spare his neck. Grinning thanks he asked, “Would you like to hold our hands too? Today had been so much better cause of you but you’re little too so here,” he held up their still joined hands, “if you slip your end in here we can both hold Present Mic’s hand!”
Perplexed but trusting, it did as it was told, sliding its end into the warmth of the combined hands, crouching back into place as it did so. ‘It is nice!’ it thought, ‘why is it nice? Am I upset by the day? I am I think. How did I not notice? Much to think about later when I’m alone. Will I get to hang on my pegs again? I will ask when we get to the ice cream, I can't ask right now because I don't want to let go, oooooooooh, but Eraserhead doesn't have anyone to hold THEIR hand!’
Waving its free end at the hero walking beside, and slightly behind them, it saw clear surprise in their eyes but, to its relief, it took their tendril and held it. Relaxing into the movement of Izuku walking, it held hands for the first time and felt safe, truly safe, at last.
*****
Watching Hizashi explain hand holding to what is now, clearly, an intelligent, and young, being, Shouta felt relieved at having him near. If it was all up to him disaster was assured but with Hizashi involved, well, he felt a little more confident.
He was kicking past him for not learning how to deal with smaller children instead of focusing on teens but, well, past him had no idea that something like this could even happen so he would cut him some slack.
Maybe.
And when Paxa suddenly offered him its other end to hold, he couldn't help the warmth in his chest or his small smile, it was just such a caring gesture, showing clearly what kind of person now lived inside his old capture weapon.
****
When they got to the ice cream place Izuku about vibrated out of his skin in excitement because, as he happily said, “I haven' had ice cream in forever !” Paxa gently rubbed his shoulders, helping keep him grounded as he peered into the glass-topped freezers at all the amazing colours in the huge tubs until, to everyone's amazement, he chose a small vanilla cone.
When asked about it he said with his serious thinking face, “It’s cause it’s been so long since I’ve had it tha’ I’m not sure if I’mma gonna like it and I don’ wanna waste it if I don’ like it, see?”
Paxa approved, that was logical. When the adults asked it again if it really couldn't have anything it signed, “ I don’t really eat like you do Present Mic (It wanted to call him Zashi but the strange shyness was back, keeping its gestures small and its words careful.) “ but…oh, Izuku! ” It carefully reached out and cupped Izuku’s head with one tendril while it wiped the copious amounts of ice cream off the boy's face with the other, then signed, “ Messy much? ”
It held still when Izuku giggled and caught the now messy end and they all watched as the stain disappeared. “Where'd it go Paxa?” Izuku asked as he stuffed the rest of the cone in his mouth, mumbling around the treat, “Iz ‘ik m ‘eres…”
“Izuku, please don't talk with your mouth full, it's dangerous.” Zashi (even if he wouldn't call him that, it's still how he thought of him) said at the same time it signed it so, glaring at them all, Izuku swallowed carefully and then said, very much upon his dignity, “It’s like my tears. When I crieded all over you the tears jus’ disappeared like tha ice cream did…mmmmph, get ooof me Paxa!” he whined as Paxa again wiped his face clean, “Where’s it go?”
Seeing that everyone was interested in its answer it pushed past its shyness and replied, “I don’t eat like normal people…” Its hands were caught carefully by Eraserhead who said, “No such thing as normal, kid, everyone is different and that’s a good thing, ‘kay? Now, go on, please, we’re all interested...”
Seeing the small smile and still feeling the warmth from the familiar hands, it went on, trying to ignore how the words warmed it more even than the hands had done. “When I move and things I get really low-level damage, like, micro tears and abrasions, I always have low-level repairs going on, kind of like a human body does. Only for me, I need resources to do it with, and being with Izuku really helps with that because tears are full of mineral salts and ice cream is good too once broken down and, well, Izuku is a bit messy,” “HEY!” “Don’t argue, you really are but that is okay because I can use your messy for my repairs!”
“A word, a word, there is a word for this!” it waved its hands about in frustration as it tried to find one word in its memory until they were caught again, this time by Present Mic, who asked, “Is it symbiosis?”
“YES! YES IT IS!!! I help keep Izuku clean and then I have the things I need to stay in good condition, symbiosis! Or is it friendship? Or is it…” It petered out, lost in all the words again, trying to figure out the best one to use before it was grabbed and hugged tight as Izuku said, tears clear to be heard in his voice, “I love you Paxa!”
Knowing that he wouldn't be able to see its reply it hugged him with several of its “legs” and placed both tendrils on Izuku’s back and pressed out a pattern of short and long pushes, feeling really rather pleased with itself for knowing how to do it. .. .-.. --- …- . -.-- --- ..- . … …
“Hey, wa’ was that ?” Izuku gasped, “was that Morse Code? You cheater!!! How come you know that? I wanna know too cause if we can’ see then it's a great way to communicate and now you have an entire language up on me so I gotta catch up and when did you learn it and wha’did you saaaaay?” he was laughing by the end of his tirade and, just as it lifted to sign Present Mic said, a laugh quivering in his voice, “He said, I love you too!”
“Oh Paxa!” Burying his face back into its folds, Izuku cried into it again but, even on such short acquaintance with him, it knew the difference between several flavors of tears now so it knew these were happy tears. Shunting them into its repair materials, it simply held on tight, waiting the storm out.
Tears were only to be expected, after all, it had been a very hard few days.
‘I wish I could cry, maybe it would make the tension in me a little less?’
*****
Watching Shouta’s old capture weapon, now coiled into its totally unique shape, carefully wipe the fluffy kids face, Hizashi couldn't help but coo at how adorable they both were, and then when it used morse code to say “I love you too!” he thought he would combust at the cuteness.
“If you like I can help you learn it Izuku,” he offered, smiling as they both said/signed “Yes PLEASE!”
“Then we have a plan for later! For now though, how ‘bout we go down to the station and get your statements? Then we can head home ‘cause I don’t know about you both but we,” he gestured to himself and Shou, “are both ready to be in for the night!”
******
Tsukauchi had answered Eraserhead's call-out to the school and took the teacher in cuffs off his hands without complaint. He and Present Mic had given him enough information to get started on the case and knew they were bringing the kid, or, from his understanding of it, the kid and the scarf , down to the station soon to give their side of the story.
‘Scarf huh, that’s a new one on me!’ but, regardless of who or how, he was a man who would happily take information from anyone or anything if it got, and kept, kids like the green-haired one safe.
And if the scarf really was alive, then it was going to need some serious help as well, simply to keep it out of the hands of people who would want to dice it up to try to find the “alive” in it. Like that was any kind of way to behave with a new lifeform but, from being close friends with both Hizashi and Shouta, he knew enough about how Nezu had been treated in their life to know what awaited this thing if the wrong hands got their claws into it.
‘Yeah, just in case the other two haven't done it yet, maybe I should give Nezu-sama a call!’
*****
A not so brief call later he had brought Nezu up to speed on the latest developments, setting him onto the school as they would need warrants and the like before getting any kind of look at their security footage but Nezu-sama would get them all a sneak peek, as it were, thus allowing them to get a solid jump on the case.
Nezu would also get them all a good step ahead of everyone when it came to the scarf as well. He had plans and protocols in place for any newly emergent life forms or quirked animals that were encountered by his people, especially safe houses for them to be hidden in until their rights as sentient beings were assured.
‘Well, I doubt anywhere’s safer than being with two pro heroes,’ Tsukauchi thought to himself, ‘and with them both being teachers, they should be able to help it with its integration into society. Well, with Nezu’s help that last bit at least should be a breeze.’
‘I am so fuckin glad we have Nezu-sama on our side ‘cause we need all the help we can get, this is already complicated and we haven't even properly gotten started yet!’
*******
Giving their statements proved to be time-consuming, although it was very interested in the differences between its story and Izuku’s, ‘Point of view seems to be a huge influence in how one comprehends and remembers things, another thing to research later. Oh, I wonder if I will be allowed to use Eraserheads computer, I shall ask when we are done, or, oh, perhaps we will be going somewhere else or maybe I will be sent away now, perhaps back to the support company but I don…”
Seeing everyone looking at it, it shuffled itself into a smaller configuration, trying to figure out what it had missed until, “Awwwww, no worries Sweet One, we were just saying it's your turn now if you think you're up to it?”
It signed, “I believe so, although I am feeling somewhat depleted I should have enough energy to give my view of what has transpired over the last few days.” So saying, it proceeded to do just that. Listening to Tsukauchi translate its words for it, it was impressed at their skill.
As soon as it was done it finally got to ask, “Does your quirk work on me? Or just spoken words?”
“It works on the intention of communication, rather than simply words, although it doesn't work on recorded or over-the-phone voices. It needs to have the being present to get a read on them. So yes, it does work on sign language, as well as spoken words. In fact, if you used semaphore or even Mores Code, it would still work on you as long as you were within my sight.”
“Oh wow, so its sight based rather than audio based?” Izuku asked with excitement, “Tha’s sooooo COOL!!! But wha’ if someone’s behind you? Does it work then? If it does then it's not sight basted but instead, it's proximity basted but if that’s so then what happens if someone a long way away yells a lie to you or if they're around a corner and…mmmmmmph!!!” Earning a tired glare for itself it removed its coil from Izuku’s mouth to sign, “ I think it's time to go now Zuzu. ”
“Oh, okay!”
Standing up it wobbled for a moment, it was much more tired than expected and Izuku wasn't much better.
*****
Seeing both the kids having trouble standing, Shouta exchanged a speaking glance with Hizashi which had him bending down to Izuku and asking, “Is it okay for me to carry you Lil Moonbeam? You seem to be having some probs there with tha’ ol’ walkin' thing!”
When the tired kid simply raised his arms in the universal sign for “Carry me please!” he smiled and scooped him up. Holding him close, not allowing his concern at how light, how thin, the kid was, as he watched Shouta turn to Paxa and ask, as he removed his current scarf from his neck…
“Hey, I can carry you too, if you need? You’re looking pretty tired and it's been…” Stifling his laugh Hizashi soaked up his husband's shocked expression as, without warning, Paxa lept and coiled itself into place around his neck, little shivers running down it as it tensed and relaxed, tensed and relaxed, over and over and over until he reached up and ran a soothing hand across it, at which point it caught his hand with both its ends and held on tight.
*****
‘Safe good right proper this is, is, wonderful’ , it sighed to itself. Being back in its proper place, gently soaking up the energy it was designed to use, it felt a deep sense of rightness with the world and its place in it, one that it had lost when the wind took it all those many days and weeks ago.
*******
They were all quiet when they finally got back to their apartment, the adults kicking off their shoes and Hizashi removing Izuku’s ones before taking him to the couch, laying him on it after Shouta set a pillow for his head down. Settling the deeply sleeping child onto it, he covered him with a brightly patterned throw, saying, “I don't think he needs anything else for a while, it's warm enough not to need any extra blankets and we can wake him up once dinner's done. I think a hot pot might be nice, whathcha think Sho? Trust me makin' a hot pot, Babe?”
Seeing the cheeky grin Shouta almost went to thump him but stopped before he could jostle Paxa who was, if not asleep, at least in some kind of scarf equivalent. Hissing “Brat!” at him instead he pulled him in for a quick kiss, then melted into a longer hug. It wasn't just the kids that were tired out by all the excitement, he had been running on only three hours of sleep for way too long so when Hizashi said, “How about the two of you get some sleep too?” he nodded, slowly and carefully settling into the chair, raising the footrest as quietly as possible.
When he was in place Hizashi, with a loving smile, covered him with an ultra-soft, galaxy print blanket, leaning down to give him one more kiss before heading into the kitchen.
‘Thank goodness I make that stock yesterday, now all I have to do is mince some chicken - thank all things soft and fluffy I replaced the hand mincer before Shouta noticed it was broken!’ He chuckled to himself as he cut the meat into smaller pieces before tossing them into the small gadget. Placing the lid on he gripped it tightly and pulled the drawstring handle several times, nice and fast.
Tipping the now minced chicken out he repeated the procedure several times until he had enough for everyone to have three meatballs each, then tossed the meat with garlic and set it aside. The veg prep went nice and quick so, all in all, it only took him about twenty minutes to have the hot pot simmering gently. Knowing it would be ready with enough time for the napping ones to get a bit of rest, he dialed the familiar number, he needed to touch base with Nezu-sama, if for nothing other than his own piece of mind.
He was deeply, and understandably, worried about Paxa’s legal position and it took Nezu some time to assure him that, even if it was discovered that a piece of high-tech fabric had somehow achieved sentience, that no one would know its location. “After all, Dear One, Shouta already has several capture weapons so who will think to look for a sentient one in the mix? And who better to care for one than the two of you? Now, please, Hizashi, do try to relax and simply enjoy the next few days off and no, neither of you is to come into school for three days at least! I've arranged cover for both of your patrols and yes, I did remember to tell Nemuri that you were to be left alone and to call in cover for you at the radio station. Now, remember, if you need anything, anything at all, you know where to find me.”
Smiling with relief after he hung up the phone, he was grateful once again that, of all the people in the entire world, he had Nezu-sama as his boss/mentor/father figure/friend. They were lucky indeed and, he peeked at the room full of sleeping people, yeah, the next few days off to settle this lot in? Priceless!
******
Dinner was behind them and now, as Izuku was helped through his bedtime routine - unknowingly breaking their hearts with his quiet words, “Thank you so much, I c'n never really reach properly after mummy took the stool away.” Paxa was hit with a dilemma.
Did it sleep with Izuku as normal and then use a computer or was it supposed to hang on its pegs - as it had been dreaming about for so long - the way it used to?
Hesitantly it signed the question to Izuku and Hizashi (who was holding Izuku stable on a chair as he brushed his teeth) and Izuku tried to say, until he was told to wait until he was done as “No one needs toothpaste on the mirror, ya dig?”
Trying not to giggle any more foam at the surrounding area he finished up quickly so he could finally say, “What do you wanna do Paxa? Cause I love sleepin wif you but if you wanna sleep on your pegs then tha’s what you should do, Imma big boy, ‘member, I c’n sleep alone!”
Seeing the brave resolve in his eyes, and the slight tremble to his lower lip, Paxa hurriedly signed, “ I want to at least start off with you Zuzu, then if it's alright with (Heeey, call me Hizashi, lil one!) Hizashi, may I use the computer for a while and then hang on my pegs? ”
“Now that sounds like an excellent plan!” Hizashi said happily as he scooped Izuku into his arms and carried him to bed, Paxa skittering in their wake, one tendril held comfortingly in Hizashi’s hand.
It had loved sleeping with Izuku, snuggled into a close hug. It had thought that was the ultimate in comfort but to be tucked in by not one but two trusted adults? It made a mental note to try to find more words to describe how it felt. ‘Comfort safe happy joy soft tender love relief safe safe safe are all good words but is there one that covers all of that?’
Curled up tight with Izuku is allowed its thought to wander into near dreaming as it lay, patiently waiting for Izuku to be deeply and totally asleep before climbing out and going back into the living room.
Both men were still there, sitting on the couch and leaning against each other, both with mugs of gently steaming something, it wasn't sure but paying attention to the trace chemicals in the air it guessed tea.
“Do you want to use the computer now or just hang on your pegs for a while?” Shouta asked softly, finishing his drink with a few swallows while it stayed totally still, pondering. Finally, it signed, “Pegs please, I still feel depleted by this day.”
"Sure thing Paxa-chan,” (Paxa-chan? I get a chan to my name? I have to tell Izuku that tomorrow!!!) “Shoubear will getcha settled while I rinse these out,” - he waggled the mugs in his hand as he watches as Shouta knelt and allowed Paxa to loop itself around his neck, walking over to the far wall and then, carefully, lift it into place.
It hung there as Shouta patted it a few times, saying, “If you need anything we’re right down the hall. Remember, we won't be mad or angry if you need us, that’s important. We would rather lose sleep than have you or Izuku need something and not tell us. Okay, kiddo?”
It signed a repeat of the last word, “Kiddo?”
“Yep, you and Izuku are both kiddos, one a human kiddo and one a scarf kiddo, and Zashi and I are here for you both, day or night.”
“Thank you, I will remember and come to you if either of us needs anything in the night.” Falling still it watched them head down the hall to their own room, remembering what they had said about it earlier, “This is our room, if the door is open you can come straight in but if it's closed then just knock first, one of us will open the door for you, okay?” And then it relaxed its vision, allowing it to move inward as it slid into proper power-saver mode.
Only to spasm and jerk alert again the instant that it stopped being able to perceive the other people in the apartment!
Scanning frantically it checked for any danger it could find, then made sure that Izuku was still sleeping, then that the adults were settling into their bed. Everything was fine, it was safe and good so, once again, it relaxed itself, allowing its vision to draw close and dim…
Only for it to, once again, leap into frantic wakefulness, this time scanning not just the apartment it was in but all the surrounding ones as well, finding only people quietly enjoying their evening.
Perhaps something was wrong with the building itself? Spending well over an hour scanning it, tracing every wire, every pipe, from top to bottom, all the way down to its foundations, it was fine!
Forcing itself to relax, it checked one more time on the three humans so dear to it and allowed its perceptions to dim.
It lasted a few moments longer this time before bolting almost off the pegs as it frantically scanned the area for the danger it was sure, SURE , was there!!!
This time, after it scanned first Izuku, Shouta, and Hizashi, and then the building, it scanned as far as it could reach, in every direction, then checked on its people again, before trying to figure out what was wrong with IT , since nothing was wrong around it.
‘If everything is fine and I am not fine, then I need help.’ Looking at the quiet, dark room, it suddenly wondered, ‘If I have slept with Izuku when we were at his other place then did I reprogram me for sleeping? Can I only rest when I am near him? But he IS close! He is just over there!’
Resting his perception on the sleeping figure he suddenly noticed how silent it was, how, even though he could see clearly, it was so dark. How alone he felt, how, ‘afraid? I am afraid? Why why why?’
Shivers almost vibrating it off its pegs, it finally gave up, casting itself down at the floor and standing up, making its soundless way in the direction of the adults. If they had been telling it the truth, and they had no reason to lie to it, then maybe if he asked them they could explain what was wrong with it in a way it might be able to understand. It doubted the internet would be a help it with this problem!”
******
Lying in the dark Hizashi found he couldn’t settle but, for Shouta's sake, he held still. One of them at least would get some sleep, he thought until a hand met his, threading fingers through his own, and a voice spoke from the darkness…
“Can’t sleep?”
“Mmmmmnahhh,” he grumbled, “you?”
“With the amount of worry you’re pouring into the room? Not a hope!”
He laughed as he elbowed his brat of a husband, taking satisfaction at the grunt he got in return. “I am not “Pouring” anything into the room!” he huffed, before sighing in defeat. “Well, maybe I am a little bit worried but, Shou, I don’t like Paxa all the way in the living room! It should be with Izuku, or if it didn't want to sleep with him, and it seemed really happy snuggled in with him, I could have pulled the futon out and made it a bed of its own, it's not a thing anymore, it shouldn't be hanging on pegs on the wall like, like a, well…”
“A thing?” Shouta asked.
“Yeah,” Hizashi sighed, “like a thing.”
Quiet reigned for a long moment until he said, “I can’t stand this, I’m gonna go check on it!” and he slid out of bed, smiling unseen as the words, “Let me know if you need anything.” followed him from the room.
He almost screamed the house down when, stepping into the living room, instead of neat coils on the wall he was met by the sight of Paxa standing, motionless, beside the couch! Clutching his heart to make sure it was still in his chest, he carefully knelt down, offering the little thing his hand as he said, “Heeey there Paxa-chan, can I help you, Baby? You look a little bit lost there.”
He felt nothing but relief when, instead of signing anything, Paxa instead simply walked into his arms, hugging on tight. “Awwww Baby, it’s okay, even though sometimes we want to sleep somewhere, it's okay to change our minds, especially when we’re in a totally new place. Common, let's get you settled back in with Izuku, alright?” Feeling the full body nod it gave him, he smiled and got to his feet.
****
Sliding back into bed not much later he said, “Guess who gets a gold star for being right?”
“Sunshine, if you got all the gold stars you deserve, the sky would be empty, now, just tell me so we can both get some fucking sleep, ‘kay?”
“Awwwww, you are so sweet when your sleepy, grumpy pants!” Feeling a retaliatory elbow headed his way he blocked it with a practice motion, grabbing onto Shouta in a full body hug, laughing quietly until he stopped struggling.
“I was right about it being too far away, I found it standing in the living room. I think it was coming into us but when I got there it just wanted a hug and to go back to bed with Izuku, poor little thing, it was lonely. Oh Shou,” he sniffled, “I felt so bad for it.”
Feeling strong arms wriggle free of his hold and tighten around him, he relaxed, letting his tears fall. It had been a stressful day for all involved and he had been so good, so grownup, but now at last he could let it all go, held and safe, as Shouta murmured, “That’s it Sunshine, that's it, let it all out. You’re good, we got this, I know it’s all new for it, for them both, but between us and Nezu-sama and eventually Inui-san and Kayama and fuck, uuuuugh, everyone is gonna get involved, aren't they? What's that stupid old saying about villages and kids?”
Giving a watery giggle Hizashi said, “It takes a village to raise a child!”
“Yeah, that fuckin one! Well, it may not be a village but UA has enough teachers to fill a small one at least and everyone is gonna want to help so I think you can stop worrying about them, everything is going to be just fine, you’ll see. Now,” he felt a firm poke to his nose, “Go!” poke, “To!” poke, “Sleep!”
Snuggling close, that is exactly what he did.
*****
Back in bed with Izuku it snuggled closer, relieved that the awful feeling of aloneness was gone, leaving it feeling safe, happy, and tired.
This time, when it allowed its perception to dim, it slid into power-saver mode, and sweet dreams, effortlessly.