#because i am DETERMINED to throw down that $100 i promised my twitch chat i would

[deadn30n]

do you carefully count your money so you can be extra sure u have enough to put ur whole pussy into pulling for blade and luocha or are u normal

[blacknovelist]

A Place to Be (Ch. 4)

The other day I was wrecked writing a chapter, and this was that chapter - I warned you all!!

Nah, but really. In general this is the self-indulgent Dad Might and 1-A friendfamily chapter I’ve been hankering to write since forever. After this it’s just the epilogue, which’ll probably happen tomorrow or the day after. 

Also, I 100% recommend listening to You are Loved by Stars Go Dim, as well, because I found it while i was trying to crosspost and I was Wrecked™. So was @guardianlioness​ when I told her about it. it’s your turn, guys.

[AO3] [ffnet]

[Ch. 1] [Ch. 2] [Ch. 3] [Ch. 4] [Epilogue]

Chapter 4: Let it Linger

You don't have to prove yourself, Don't try to be someone else, You are loved (Just look up; know you are loved Just look up; know you are loved) 

The walk back to the dorms was a blur. No one said much, though they clumped together all the way up to the side door, at which point they had to file through separately, lest they get stuck in the frame. Izuku trailed behind, mind spinning now that the moment of adrenaline and shock was over. He just said that. All of it. Thoughts twirled and flew without rhyme or reason, and he jammed his emotions aside for a moment - logic now, feelings later.

Toshinori nudged him through the door, slipping it shut behind them as the others vanished around the corner into the living room. His student's eyes were glued to the floor, and he shuffled towards him.

"I'm sorry, Izuku."

His head jerked up, eyes wide. Toshinori cleared his throat.

"I overstepped my bounds today when I called you my son earlier," he said. His hands twitched, up and down, like he kept having the same second thought over and over. "It was an intimate act that made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

Izuku bit his lip, unable to stare straight at Toshinori's face for long.

"It's, it's okay," he said, trying to quirk his mouth into a smile. The dam in his chest strained and creaked, but held strong against his tide of emotion. One step at a time, one thing at a time. "But it's. That's not really what I was thinking about."

"Your father, then?" Izuku nodded. "Yes, I can see why. It must be hard for you, my boy. A father reappearing in one's life so abruptly, and leaving just so."

"Yeah, kind of." Toshinori raised an eyebrow, and Izuku slumped. "W-well, it's..." He swallowed, sifting through his thoughts, the the elation and lingering determination and sadness and other feelings he couldn't put a name to. "I guess... I wondered what he was like, yeah, but I never really had an, an expectation, of who he'd be or what he'd be like. I've been thinking about him coming back for so long it's surreal, but he just came in and went at his own pace and I mean, he might know who I am, or who I was as a kid, but I didn't, I don't know him at all! He's not a bad person, but, he's not really my dad, yet. I didn't expect more, out of all this, but, I still feel a little disappointed too. I wanted him to stay, but not like that."

Toshinori let out a long breath. He started to reach out, stopped again, folded his arms to look casual and only succeeded in looking incredibly awkward. Izuku didn't notice.

"Even if he was proud of me, and wanted to come into my life, what else was the point of coming back? To let me know he didn't believe in me?" Izuku wrapped his arms around his head. The dam started to bend. Not yet, he told it. "That he didn't understand me or the fact I still want to be a hero? Did he even care about who I am now, or was it who he thought I'd still be?"

A beat of silence. "Oh, Izuku, my boy," Toshinori said softly. He looked up. "You really are one of the most noble young men I've ever known, without a single doubt. No matter what your father says, even a glimpse of your spirit is all I need to know you'll be incredible one day." Toshinori dropped his arms to his side. "Regardless of my promise to your mother, there's nothing I would want more in my life than to be able to watch you and your classmates grow, and be there to believe in you for every step of your journey. How your father hasn’t seen that for himself, or not want to do the same for you, it's beyond me."

He lay a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "And, while I never intended to overstep my bounds as your teacher and mentor, if you ever need to talk, or need someone like him in your life proper, I would be honored to be there for you. It's entirely your choice, no one else's. And regardless of that..." Toshinori ruffled Izuku's dark hair and smiled. "I am and always will be proud of you."

It broke.

Toshinori turned to leave. Izuku reached out. When he looked back at the hand grasping his shirt, he choked at the sight of tears flooding down Izuku's face, twisted and shaking. He raised his arms, instinct screaming to comfort, to wipe that look off his student's face, but a weight buried itself in his chest before he could move, strong arms wrapping around and clutching at him. One for All lapped at his back and sides, tingling bolts of static and power.

For a moment Toshinori froze, surprise overtaking him. Then he folded, curling around his boy and drawing him close. He pretended not to notice the tears soaking through his shirt, the ones beading in the corners of his eyes.

"You don't have to say sorry!" Izuku all but wailed. "You, you don't have- You don't have to apologize for calling me your son. I don't mind, I-I promise, and I just." He wheezed, a breath in and a breath out, pressing his face to the white shirt of his teacher and muffling his words. "I'm sorry for crying, buh, but, I'm really happy right now, really! And, and, thank you. For, for believing in me, all the time. And, for sticking up for me, and everyone else too, you-you all, I couldn't even say or do anything but you kept sticking up for me, all of you guys, that's not, that's never happened before! It was, I don't, I never had friends, really, back then, but not any more, you all, you spoke up for me, and-" he sniffed, chest heaving, Toshinori holding him steady- "and, now I-I've got mom, and I have you, and I have Aizawa-sensei and Iida and Uraraka and Tsuyu, and Todoroki and Kirishima and Ashido, and Kaminari, and Sero, and, and just, ev-everyone here, so, so, I think if he doesn't want to come back, or he can't, I mean, I know you're worried, but, I-I think I'll be okay. It'll be okay. But, I, th-thank you, I, I'm just, I can't, I, you-"

"Shhh, my boy, prince of nonsense." Toshinori rubbed Izuku's back, running a hand through curly hair and smiling like he didn't have rivers running down his own face. "I should be thanking you, too. Always trying so hard to be strong and do everything right. Your friends will always stand by your side, just like Aizawa, just like your mother, just like me. You've gone through a lot, tonight. Breathe, my boy, cry. It will be fine, because I am here."

Neither could tell how long they'd been standing there, by the time the tears had run their course and One for All stopped flowing. Izuku stopped some time ago but hadn't seemed inclined to let go, and neither did Toshinori. Still, they were in the same clothes as earlier, and it was getting late.

"We'd best get ready for bed, my boy," Toshinori said. He lightly shook Izuku's shoulder, gently untangling himself.

"Alright." Izuku slowly unwrapped his arms from around Toshinori's waist, hesitating as he pulled away. "...thanks, dad."

It took all of Toshinori's willpower to keep from bursting into tears again as he put a hand on his boy's shoulder and pushed them both around the corner.

The sight that greeted them gave them pause; piles upon piles of sheets and blankets haphazardly spread over couches and armchairs, tables pushed aside in favour of plush toys and pillows. Most of the class was draped atop them, chatting quietly. Kirishima glanced over and lit up, scrambling upright.

"Dad-sensei, Midoriya!" He cheered, and the rest of the class perked up, turning expectantly.

"It's a sleepover tonight, no exceptions," Hagakure said.

"We hope you don't mind," Iida said, standing, "but we grabbed your things so you wouldn't have to go all the way up to your rooms."

Izuku blinked at the pants and shirt being held out, the sight of his things (was that his limited-edition All Might stuffed plush sitting next his pillow?!) carefully bundled in the middle of the sprawling blanket nest, the nineteen mostly-smiling faces, slightly overwhelmed. Toshinori wasn't much better off, but he took the offered pajamas with a smile.

"Thank you, my boy," he said, padding towards the change rooms.

"Th-thank you!" Izuku squeaked, taking the clothes and dashing after him. It didn't take long to pull the sleepwear (All Might-themed) on and throw the gym clothes into the hamper in the corner, not bothering to make sure they made it in properly. Toshinori was waiting for him on the edge of the makeshift fort.

No one said a word or glanced at them as they hopped and hobbled through, moving cushions out of the way and settling down on top of the various duvets and thick comforters currently making up the floor. They only shuffled closer once they were done, dragging their piles of well-loved blankets and beloved pillows to huddle around the duo in the center.

"So. Guys, Deku," Uraraka whispered from beside Izuku, "I've got a story for you."

"Don't take too long, Uraraka," Iida whispered back, somewhere behind them. "Even if we don't have lessons tomorrow, we can't let our habits grow bad."

"Oh don't worry, Iida, you're gonna enjoy this one, I just know it." She grinned. "So it was when I was just a kid..."

Come morning Izuku would wake up to the sun beating down on him through the tall glass windows, warm beneath his best sheets in his favourite pajamas and his favourite doll clutched to his chest. He would open his eyes and be met with the sight of wild blond hair and a gaunt face at peace, look around to be greeted with the sight of his friends, fast asleep, curled around them and sprawled out atop and across each other (and him) like it was the most natural thing in the world. He'd feel something stir in his chest, the joy that pulls more tears to his eyes, and go back to sleep, content.

But for now he grinned at Uraraka, soft All Might pillow at his back, and listened.