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riahlynn101 · 1 year ago

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"History Repeats (More Than You Think)."

Written for Obscure-Dads Week 2023 Part 2

@daddecember

Summary: En and Izuku are brothers who have a dead father and a mother who abandoned them. Banjo-after getting a call from a concerned neighbor of the boys-finds them sleeping in an alley way. He takes them in.

(Now with an extended ending!)

Trigger Warning: Child abandonment!

They’re alone.

Mom hasn’t come home in weeks. The two thousand yen she left is long gone. En even budgeted it all out this time, but everything’s so expensive and his baby brother got sick and needed medicine, which ate up most of their cash.

He’s tried to reach her, leaving voicemails pleading with her to return. But she hasn’t.

This is normal, he reminds himself.

He stands in the middle of a convenience store, guilt washes over him in waves. His skin feels too hot, like he’s burning up. The cashier-a frail old man-eyes him and his messenger bag with an air of suspicion.

En manages a smile.

The bell over the door chimes, and the cashier turns to greet the new customer. En ignores their conversation, going down a random aisle.

For Izuku , he thinks to himself. I’m not a bad person for doing this; we’ll starve if I don’t.

His skin burns a little hotter. Steam rises from En, giving him cover. He listens to the cashier and customer panic. Lucky for them, this time it’s just water vapor. Non toxic but harder to clear out.

Not wasting a second longer, En scoops anything and everything off the shelves. He stuffs packets of ramen, bottles of juice, chips, medicine of all kinds, and even some toys into his bag. The steam has started to lessen by this point, and the cashier has likely already called the cops. So, he only has a few more minutes to clear out.

He runs by the adults who are still swatting at the air around them. They pay him no mind at all, too preoccupied with finding the cause of the “smoke.”

Outside, En doesn’t stop running until his apartment building is within sight. He takes the stairs two at a time, as the elevator creeps him out. It’s old and some of his neighbors joke it hasn’t been replaced since the dawn of the age of quirks.

En can’t tell if they’re joking or not, but he’s not willing to chance it. Not when he has someone relying on him to come home. He isn’t mom and dad.

“En, child, has your mother come home yet?” He turns to address his elderly neighbor, Naomi. A middle-aged, muscular woman with hair that changes colors depending on the sky. Quite literally too, she possesses a quirk that reacts to the level of moisture in the air (kind of like his, except her’s utilizes it in a different way) and changes her hair color depending on the different levels. Today, her hair is a calming blue with flecks of white here and there.

She’s the only one that seems to notice that they’re all alone. But if he tells her how bad things have gotten-that the water and electricity has been off for over a week, which means most of the leftovers they had in the fridge spoiled. Which means they can’t bathe, so En has to use bottled water to wash him and his brother. Which means he has to conserve the last little bit of battery on their phone, just in case their mom calls them. Which means they’ve been going to bed an hour earlier because the only way they can look at the time is through the phone but that uses up its battery. And going out to find places to lessen the load is hard to, because he’s too young to get the help they need to survive, and taking Izuku with him only makes things worse. This isn’t even mentioning that rent was due three days ago, and the landlord has been hounding them for the money he’s due-Izuku and him might get separated.

He’s heard horror stories about the system. As bad as their situation is right now, it could become a whole lot worse. At least, right now, they have each other.

He smiles at her. “I’m fine Mrs. Naomi, thank you.”

The worry lines in her forehead unwrinkled just a little. She purses her lips together. Her eyes go to his overfilled messenger bag. “....Okay, sweetheart, but let me know if you two need anything.”

He nods.

The minute En steps into the apartment, he drops to his knees. He throws his messenger bag off, feeling it weigh him down. He allows himself to cry, the sounds of kids playing outside a reminder of what he and his brother have lost.

He lays his head on the carpeted floor. Idly he plays with the fabric, running his fingers over it. Eventually Izuku and him will have to leave the safety of the apartment. The landlord will call the police, and by then they’ll need to be long gone.

En turns onto his back. He stares up at the water-stained ceiling. His brother should still be taking a nap, so he can spare a few minutes to rest.

It didn’t always used to be like this. En remembers when they were all a happy family. But then his stupid dad had to go and get himself….

Tears prick the corners of his eyes. It…doesn’t matter anymore, because their dad is never coming back.

En feels his eyelids grow heavy. The racing of his heart calms to a slow, steady beat. All the excitement of his latest haul has completely exhausted him.

Before En knows it, he’s asleep.

-x-x-x-

En wakes up to a pudgy, little finger poking his cheek. “Nii-Chan?” His little brother asks.

He cracks an eye open. Izuku’s kneeled down next to him, he’s worrying his bottom lip and using his one free hand to grasp onto En’s sweater. It’s a familiar sight. Unfortunately, they both seem to have inherited their father’s neurosis.

He forces himself to sit up. His brother follows the motion, leaning into his space.

“Hey, Izuchan. Hungry?”

His brother nods, looking at the bags of chips and packages of ramen that have spilled onto the floor.

“Great! ‘Cause I got us a bunch of food, but we have to save some of it for this week,” En carefully explains. “Okay?”

“Okay, Nii-Chan.”

That night they eat broken up, dried ramen, sprinkled with the seasoning packet.

-x-x-x-

A few days later, En packs two backpacks. One for him and a smaller one for his brother. He packs a few changes of clothes, as much food and water as he can, some mementos, and a toy or two to keep his brother entertained.

It’s hard saying goodbye to the apartment. It’s the only home Izuku and he have ever known, but it’s time to move on. The landlord had yelled through the door last night that he was calling the police today.

No amount of memories and nostalgia is worth being put in the system.

He ties Izuku to his front with a blanket. An old practice mothers use to carry around their children, though usually they tie them to their back. It’s kind of hard, and he almost drops his brother while securing the blanket in place, and then, he very nearly falls forward when trying to retrieve his own backpack.

He tapes a note to Mrs. Naomi’s door. The woman has been nothing but kind to them, and En would hate for her to think they’ve been kidnapped.

They’re long gone before the sunrises.

-x-x-x-

Later that morning, leaving her apartment, Naomi sees a note taped to her door. It reads:

Dear Mrs. Naomi,

Izuku and I have to leave now. Our parents aren’t coming back, and the rent’s been due for awhile now. It’s for the best that we move on. I wanted to thank you for being nice to us! Sorry I didn’t tell you how bad things were. I thought I had things handled :(

Thank you for being kind,

She drops the note, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Those poor boys! How could she not have contacted him sooner? If she had, then they wouldn’t have had to survive on their own.

After she calms down, picking the note up and sliding it into a drawer, Naomi calls an old friend.

“Hi, it’s Naomi Aoki. I hope you’re doing well. I know it’s sudden, but I do have a favor to ask of you….”

-x-x-x-

En walks for what feels like, hours upon hours. His little brother slumbers periodically, heading bouncing off his shoulder. People give them strange looks, whispering to each other, but seem otherwise unwilling to lend assistance. Typical.

Eventually, he has to rest. He goes into an alley. It’s midday, so En’s not as wary about potential dangers. Though, it wouldn’t hurt to remain vigilant and move before dusk.

He sits up against the cool brick wall; his little brother is still attached to him by a blanket. Together they rest.

-x-x-x-

“-id?” Someone calls, sounding faraway. “Kid…?” The person pokes his face.

En jerks awake.

It’s nearly dark out, casting the alley into near pitch-blackness. How long had he been asleep? Heart hammering in his chest, he sends a glance downward. To his immense relief, his baby brother looks back at him, oblivious to the distress the older boy is under.

“Kid?” The person says again.

En looks up at them.

A large, bald man with the weirdest taste in fashion he’s ever seen, hovers over him. His eyes are soft, looking at them with some semblance of pity.

He hates that. He hates that so much.

“We’re fine,” he snaps, pulling himself into a standing position. Or, at least, trying to. It’s kind of hard with the excess weight on his front.

The man doesn’t answer, just helps En readjust and stand up straight. “Your neighbor, Naomi, asked me to find you two.” He bends down. “How long have you been out here?”

En squints his eyes. He really shouldn’t be talking to a stranger, but he seems nice. Childishly, he hopes the man will help them. It’s this childishness that wins out and indulges the man to some answers.

“Uh….” he tries to think back. “What day is it?”

“That’s all I need to know.” He takes a cloth out of his jacket pocket. Carefully he reaches over to wipe at En’s face. “Your face is a little dirty. Hope you don’t mind me cleaning it.”

En’s too shocked to do anything besides nod his head. The gesture is gentle and….nice….

“Nii-Chan,” Izuku whines, little legs digging into his sides. “Who’s that?”

The man chuckles. “I’m a pro hero-”

At those magic words, En’s and his brother’s eyes go wide. They glance at each other, wordlessly carrying on an entire conversation.

“Really!?” En asks. “That’s soooo cool! Me and my brother love heroes! What’s your hero name?”

“Lariat.”

“Oh, like the rope?”

The man, Lariat, laughs at that. “Yeah, kid, just like the rope. But you can call me Daigoro, or Banjo. Doesn’t matter to me, as long as you don’t call me late to dinner.”

En stares blankly at Lariat, or Banjo, or Daigoro (there’s too many names to keep track of). Even Izuku, who once laughed at his own reflection in a spoon, is completely silent.

“Sorry, bad joke.” he claps his hands. “Anyways, I’m here to take you both somewhere safe.”

“Where’s that?” En asks, warily eyeing the man’s movements. One hand remains firmly on his brother’s head, shielding him in the event that Lariat is actually insane.

“My place!” Lariat says with way too much enthusiasm (though, En is starting to suspect that might just be his default).

En follows Lariat out of the alleyway, clutching his baby brother close. His back aches, likely from a mix of carrying Izuku and the heavier backpack, but he can’t bring himself to put his brother down.

“Where’s that?” He asks.

“It’s a few cities away, Musutafu. It’s nice there, you’ll like it.”

There’s no one outside the alley, the city winding down from the day. It feels surreal, like a liminal space that knows no bounds and isn’t beholden to the laws of their reality. The orange glow from the street lights aren’t helping matters.

“How are we going to get there? I don’t think the buses operate this- hey!”

A tentacle-like appendage wraps around his chest, sending him flying right into Lariat’s arms. He goes to tighten his (ever-increasing) hold on Izuku, except the appendage has already beaten him to it - wrapped securely around both of them, keeping them safe.

“Is-is that your quirk?” En asks, heart thundering in his chest.

“Black whip!” Lariat announces, jovially. “It’s very versatile! I can stop criminals and save civilians at the exact same time.”

Still in shock, he nods.

At least his baby brother seems to enjoy being thrown through the air. Kind of. It’s a little hard to tell the difference between squeals of joy and squeals of terror, especially when his heart refuses to calm down.

“It takes some getting used to, but I’m sure you’ll get there. It’s a very inexpensive way to travel, not to mention fun!”

En has hardly processed the strange man’s words, before the weightless feeling returns.

-x-x-x-

Somewhere between the city he’s grown up in and Musutafu, En falls back asleep. The constantly being thrown through the air, tucked against Lariat’s chest, isn’t that hard to get used to. If he ignores the gnawing anxiety surrounding heights and sudden drops, he kind of likes it.

It’s been a long time since he’s been held.

Longer still since anyone’s made him feel just the tiniest bit safe.

Mixed with the familiar chatter of city life, it doesn’t take long for his eyes to grow heavy and head to loll forward, bumping against Izuku’s mess of curls.

-x-x-x-

En wakes up on a bed, alone. Morning light blinds him when he opens his eyes. He groans, sitting up. Stretching his arms high above his head, he takes in his surroundings.

This isn’t mom and dad’s room…?

There’s not the tell-tale picture of their small family collecting dust on his dad’s nightstand, the heavy scent of rose perfume, mom likes to douse herself in, or the ever-growing pile of laundry in the furthest most corner of the room.

This room is larger, less familiar, but somehow more homey-feeling.

He slides off the bed, still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. If he remembers right, a strange, very energetic man in a leather jacket took him and-

For the first time since waking up, En remembers he is, in fact, not an only child and panics. There’s no sign of Izuku here, so where could he be? He looks towards the door that probably leads to the rest of the apartment? House? A cabin in the woods?

He isn’t one hundred percent sure where they are, just that it isn’t familiar.

En creeps to the door, steadying himself to face Lariat and run away. Coming here was a giant mistake. His parents taught him better than accepting a stranger’s invitation to go home with them. He can just picture his mom’s scathing words and even more scathing look for getting him and his brother into this mess.

What if Lariat is a human trafficker?

He worries his bottom lip, hand hovering over the doorknob.

What if he’s a serial killer? Or worse…..

His thoughts trail off, not wanting to finish that particular thought. Better not to think about that unless it happens.

His hand makes contact with the doorknob-

The door suddenly opens, slamming right into En. He hits the wall, falling on his side. “Hey, kid- Oh, no! Are you okay?” Lariat kneels down next to him. He helps him sit up, gingerly brushing En’s bangs back. “Sorry, kiddo, didn’t see you there.”

Tears prick the corners of his eyes, his body aches badly, but he really, really doesn’t want to look like a baby. He sniffles, forcing himself to nod. “I’m fine, thank you.”

“I hit you pretty hard with the door. Do you want some ice?” Lariat eyes him nervously, panic clear in his eyes.

“No, I’m okay.”

The man doesn’t look convinced, but he backs off anyways. He helps En up. “Okay, but let me know if you need anything for the pain. I came in here to tell you breakfast is done. Your brother has been eyeing the pancakes, so if you want any I would get to the kitchen fast.”

“Oh, you made us breakfast…?” He asks, an odd feeling welling up in his chest.

“Yep!”

-x-x-x-

In the kitchen, En breathes in the heavenly scent of bacon and pancakes. After making sure his brother’s food is cut up into manageable pieces, he takes a single pancake and piece of bacon for himself.

As delicious as everything smells, it would be rude of him to eat more than his fair share.

They all sit together-Lariat (“you can call me Banjo, kiddo!”), his baby brother, and he-around a small dining table. In place of a highchair or booster seat, Izuku is seated on a stack of encyclopedias and phone books. He would think it is funny, but he himself has to kneel on a copy of Pride and Prejudice to be able to reach the table.

“So,” Lar- Banjo starts, “how long have you kids been on your own?”

The question nearly makes En choke on his pancake. He finishes chewing what’s in his mouth before answering. “A week, week-and-a-half.”

“Do you have any extended family?”

“I-I think we have an uncle on our dad’s side, but dad used to say he's coo-coo for cocoa puffs.”

Banjo snorts. Seeing En’s confused look, he composes himself. “Sorry, sorry. When you say that, what do you mean?”

“He’s very clingy,” En says, shrugging his shoulders. Their uncle has always been a sore subject for their dad. It was one of the only things that could send him into an anxiety attack. Well, that and confined spaces.

“Ah, I see. Well, I’ll try to track your mother down. Until then, you two can stay with me.”

“Yay!” Izuku squeals, smiling widely. Syrup stains his hands, face, and hair. “Nii-Chan, food! Yummy, yummy food!” He pats the table with his sticky hands for good measure.

“Izuchan,” he scolds, lightly (of course, because he could never bring himself to actually shout at his adorable baby brother), “look how messy you’ve gotten.”

His brother proceeds to try to see himself, eyes rolling up and down in an effort to see his own messy face.

“‘Zuchan,” he giggles. His stomach gurgles, making him quiet. He looks down at his empty plate.

Three more pancakes and two strips of bacon are put on his plate. En tilts his head at Banjo, brain unable to process what he’s doing.

“Eat your fill. Plenty to go around here.”

Without another word, he digs into the proffered food.

-x-x-x-

En stares at the bathtub filled with soapy water. His little brother hits the surface of the water with his palms, grinning from ear-to-ear. His wet hair sticks to his forehead, and he has to keep brushing the stray pieces away to be able to see.

“Nii-Nii, look! Lots of bubbles!”

He nods, giving Izuku two thumbs up.

Banjo chuckles, sitting on the floor next to the tub. He pokes Izuku’s button nose, leaving behind some bubbles.

It hadn’t been the original plan for En to go first, but Izuku’s never bathed anywhere besides their apartment. And he got scared when the water was turned on, hiding behind his big brother.

So, even though Izuku was the messier of the two of them, he got out of bath time (for ten minutes, but ten minutes in toddler time is different from older people time).

He sits on a stool that Banjo dragged in from the kitchen, kicking his legs. His old clothes were dirty, so he dug through their backpacks to find a couple clean outfits.

“Here,” he says, holding an outfit out in front of him.

Banjo murmurs a thank you, toweling off Izuku.

-x-x-x-

“Are you sure you don’t need me to help?” En asks, shuffling nervously outside the bedroom door. His baby brother stands next to him, their dad’s old, light blue jacket is so big on him that it hangs below his knees.

Banjo looks up from the mess of furniture parts. “I’m sure, kiddo. Why don’t you take your brother outside to play.”

He frowns. They aren’t as familiar with this city; the area could be dangerous.

“The city’s safer than the one you came from,” Banjo reassures, probably sensing his growing worry. “I think there’s a park a few blocks away. Why don’t you take you and your brother there? Come back before sundown.”

En is hesitant to leave.

What if they got hurt? Or Banjo up and leaves them? He doesn’t want to come home to another empty apartment, with a letter filled with excuses and a measly amount of money on the dining room table.

But what if Banjo gets so annoyed with them that he locks them out?

In that case, maybe they should leave for the park.

“Nii-Chan?” His brother asks.

His train of thought is derailed; his brother once again saves him from a downward spiral.

“Sorry, Izu. Alright, we’ll go to the park. But you have to promise you’ll still be here when we get back.”

Banjo freezes, putting down the instruction manual he was reading. “Where else would I be?”

En still isn’t fully convinced; his mom said the same thing and look where they are now. But acting suspicious is not a privilege he or Izuku can cling to, so he takes his brother’s hand and leads him out the door.

-x-x-x-

It takes a while to actually find the park. When Banjo said, ‘a few blocks away,’ he should have asked in which direction. Backtracking aside, the park is nice. It’s fairly small and doesn’t seem to be that busy, which strikes En as odd - it’s three in the afternoon on a Friday, but maybe school doesn’t let out until later here.

His brother giggles as he races for the jungle gym.

Out of habit, En chases after him. “I’m gonna get you!” He sing-songs.

“No!” Izuku bursts into a fit of giggles. “Nii-Chan, can’t get me !”

“Oh, yes, he can!” He shoots back, climbing the stairs to the playscape two at a time.

-x-x-x-

They play until the sky turns into a mish-mash of oranges, purples, blues, and pinks.The sun is barely peeking out of the horizon.

En ushers his brother off the playscape (more like drags him off), and leads him by the hand back to Banjo’s apartment.

Once there, both boys are greeted with a heavenly aroma of a home-cooked meal.

“Can you set the table, En?” Banjo asks, finishing up on the fried rice. The pork rolls sit on a plate next to the stove, cooling.

“Me, me!” Izuku shouts, stepping from foot to foot. “What about me? I wanna help too!”

Banjo hums, tapping a finger to his chin. “Hm….would you like to help me do the dishes after we’re finished eating?”

From his place, laying out the plates and silverware, En watches his brother’s face light up. He chuckles. Another thing little Izuku has taken from their father - his (almost) impulsive need to be of service. Although….

He looks down at the plate in his hands, staring at his too-pale, too-sad reflection. Maybe they both inherited that part of their father’s personality?

En puts the last plate down, just as Banjo places steaming platters of fried rice and pork rolls. “Thanks for setting the table. It looks…” he seems to mull over the word that would best fit.

“Okay?” En asks.

“Mmmm….”

“Cool!” Izuku supplies helpfully. He stands beside his chair, unable to climb up himself. “Nii-Chan is the bestest at everything! ”

“ Funky! ” Banjo says, patting him on the back.

En narrows his eyes, tilting his head to one side. “That’s….that’s good…?”

“Very!”

“Ah,” he says, falling back into his own chair. He hardly notices the presence of the countless books underneath him (keyword being: hardly). They’re still something of a bother, sharp corners of old novels dig into his thin, bony legs. But the pain is negligible in the face of the praise he received and the taste of warm, homemade food on his tongue.

“Thank you,” he murmurs during a lull in conversation.

Banjo smiles. “I’m glad I found you boys before-” he clears his throat, cutting himself off. His smile falls, turning not exactly into a frown but fairly close.

“Banjo…?” En asks. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no,” the man reassures, though from the unsettled look on his face, En doesn’t believe him. “Just thinking about adult things.”

“Like what?” Izuku asks through a mouthful of food.

“Ick! Gross, Izu!” En sticks his tongue out, face scrunching up. No matter how many times he, or his parents scold his brother for talking with food in his mouth, he never listens.

“Taxes, mostly.”

“Ah,” Izuku murmurs. “Taxes.” He nods at his plate. Eyes serious, he glances over at En. “We have taxes, huh, Nii-Chan?”

“No, we’re too young. I think.”

“Ah, okay!”

En feels the ice surrounding his heart melt, just a little. Maybe Banjo isn't so bad. At the very least it wouldn't hurt to put some trust into the man sitting across from them, he is taking care of them. For his brother.

All for him.

-c-c-c-

(Continue reading here if you want a more angsty, ambiguous ending. Not posted on Ao3, because I wanted at least one of my stories to have a happyish ending :D The trigger warnings for this part of the story are: kidnapping, anxiety attacks, small children in distress, and referenced/implied death.)

Living with Banjo is not so bad. The man is friendly and makes sure they go to bed and school with full stomachs. And, more importantly, he’s always there when En and his brother return from school. (Well, Izuku’s more in daycare, but the sentiment is the same).

After homework and a snack, En likes to take his brother down to the playground. It remains empty no matter the time of day, but he has to admit, having a playground all to themselves, is extremely cool. Sometimes he likes to pretend they’re kings or emperors of an exciting land.

He hangs on the monkey bars. Izuku watches him with rapt fascination. “Go, Nii-Chan!” He shouts.

En smiles, dropping to the ground in front of his brother. “I can almost cross all the monkey bars!” He proudly proclaims, pointing a thumb at himself.

Izuku claps his hands. “Yay! Can you chase me now? Please?” His green hair flops over his eyes as he tilts his head.

En sighs, throwing his hands up in a show of fake exasperation. If there ever comes a day where he doesn’t want to chase his little brother, then he’s probably been replaced with a clone, or a doppelganger, or….hmm…he tries to think of more things he might hypothetically be replaced by.

“Ennnn,” Izuku calls, using the same tone he uses when being forced to interact with strangers. The name, his name, sounds weird coming from his brother. It’s abnormal and, in an instant, En is on guard.

He turns to where his brother’s looking and sees a very tall man. The man smiles at him, waving. This is the first person they’ve seen at this park since they started coming here three months ago. And the fact that it’s a grown-up, doesn’t sit right with En.

Especially considering there’s not much to do while sitting on the bench.

(Unless you consider sitting and staring at children a hobby….)

Maybe it’s his nerves, or an embedded, cultural need to be polite, but En finds himself waving back. “Hello, sir!” He calls.

The man must take that as his signal because he strolls over to them, pace unhurried and unbothered. “Hello,” he says.

“Hi,” Izuku murmurs, peeking out from behind his older brother.

The man glances at Izuku. His eyes widen for a second, but it’s so fast En almost thinks he imagined it. Almost.

“What are your names?” The man asks, kneeling down. His voice is sugary sweet, soothing, and deep.

Izuku starts to speak, but En is faster.

“I’m Roku, and he’s Ku.”

The man tilts his head. An amused expression takes over his face. “Ah, okay, Roku and Ku.” He stands. “Well, six and nine, I’m Shigaraki Hisashi.”

That name is…familiar. Where has he heard it from?

Izuku squirms behind him. Apparently all previous apprehension is now gone. He slips under En’s arm. “Hi, Mister Shigaraki. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, both of you.”

En shivers, stepping back. As subtle as he can, he drags his brother back by the shirt collar. “Yeah….you too.”

Shigaraki-San looks around. “Where’s your boys’ parents?”

“Close by,” En answers immediately. “They’ll be back any minute.” Izuku gives him a confused look. There’s a tug on his jeans that he pointedly ignores, placing a gentle hand on his brother’s head.

“Uh huh.” Shigaraki-San taps a finger to his chin, humming. “They seem to be taking their time, aren’t they?”

Izuku rocks backwards on his heels, obviously losing his battle to be quiet.

“Maybe,” En says. “We don’t live too far away. If they take too long, me and Iz- Ku can walk home.” He doesn’t understand why he’s explaining himself to the man, but he’d do anything to get him to leave them alone. There’s something very, very wrong with him.

“I can walk you both home.”

“No, we’re okay. We want to keep playing.”

“It’s no trouble, and the sun looks like it’s close to setting. You both should go home and eat dinner.”

En takes another step back, dragging his little brother along. “I said, we’re fine. Please, leave us alone.”

The smile falls off Shigaraki-San’s face. It’s replaced by a scowl. “I tried to be nice,” he mutters, seemingly to himself, before taking a step closer (with his long legs, each of his steps equals six of En’s, or ten of Izuku’s). “Come along now.”

En half-carries, half-drags Izuku towards Banjo’s apartment. He runs as fast as he’s able to. They’re still three blocks away, but if he can duck into one of the stores or restaurants, then maybe they can lose him.

Strong arms wrap around his midsection. They grab onto Izuku and him, restraining them. “Come along now,” Shigaraki-San repeats, voice no longer sugary sweet.

-x-x-x-

Shigaraki-San carries them a few blocks away before stuffing them into a sleek black car. Any attempts to call for help are met with a light pop to the mouth, a warning. And by the time they’re being buckled in, En has no more fight left. Not that Izuku is any better, clinging to his big brother.

After they’re settled, Shigaraki-San slides in next to them. He snaps his fingers, and En realizes for the first time that the three of them aren’t alone. Up front, in the driver’s seat, somebody sits, awaiting instructions.

“Take us to the base thirty miles west of here.”

As the car starts, Shigaraki-San sits back. He looks at them, a fond smile on his face. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

En hunches into himself, using his arms to bring his brother closer and shield him from the evil-doer next to them.

Shigaraki-San chuckles, but seems to get the hint. He starts to small talk with the driver.

“E-” his brother almost says his name, but stops himself. “Roku, what about daddy?”

En bristles at that. “That man is not our dad, Ku.” He makes sure to lean down, close to his brother’s ear, and keeps his voice quiet. His heart hurts as he says that, but it’s hardly been three months. It feels disrespectful to their real father’s memory - even if he did leave them.

Izuku twists away. “You’re mean!” He shouts.

This draws Shigaraki-San’s attention. “Who’s mean?” He asks Izuku.

Izuku, with all the energy of a little sibling trying to get the older one in trouble, points at En. His bottom lip juts out. “Him.”

Despite the circumstance, En scoffs. Everything feels so wrong and weird and he feels bad for saying-

“I remember the days back when my little brother would tattle on me,” Shigaraki-San says. “You’ll miss it one day, but for now, do try to get along.” He turns back to his conversation with the driver.

En’s mouth opens and closes. What- what just happened?

Izuku huffs, but leans into his space. “I still wanna go home,” he murmurs, almost too quiet for En to hear.

“I know,” he murmurs back.

They settle into an uneasy silence, listening to their captor talk animatedly about the weather for the upcoming week.

-x-x-x-

At some point, he must have dozed off, because the next thing En knows, he’s waking up in a bed. This isn’t his bed at Banjo’s a-

He jolts upward.

Memories come flooding back. The park! The man took them!

He looks around the room. He needs to find Izuku, and leave!

His eyes catch a tiny bit of movement from across the room. Tufts of green hair poke out from under a comforter decorated with pictures of ducklings.

His brother…..

….his brother’s okay.

En sighs in relief. At least that mystery is solved.

But they still need to leave.

He slides out of bed, and quietly tip-toes his way over to the other bed. Tentatively, he reaches for the covers, hands trembling from the amount of adrenaline coursing through his body. His fingers ghost over the blanket-

“Hello, En,” Shigaraki-San greets.

A light clicks on, revealing the man sitting in a rocking chair in the opposite corner of the room. A book with more pages than En has ever been able to read in his lifetime, sits on his lap. He sits close to the door.

Escape was never an option.

“Who are you!? How do you know my name? I-I never told you that.”

The man shushes him, pointing to Izuku’s sleeping form. “I’ve been…hm….observing Izuku and you for a while now. Ever since my idiotic brother got himself killed trying to protect what’s his face?” He taps his chin, as if trying to conjure the name to his head.

En blinks. “What does that have to do with me and my brother?” Shigaraki-San might be crazier than he previously thought.

“Everything,” he answers. “Well, mostly everything.” Shigaraki-San puts his book on a side table before getting to his feet. “I’m your uncle.”

En shrinks back.

Wrong! Something about this is wrong, with a capital W!

“My dad told me you’re crazy.”

“Ah, Yoichi. He was always saying things like that.” He stands in front of En. “My little brother and I often had disagreements about what was best for him.”

En stares at the man’s chest, unable to force himself to look up (and up and up) at his piercing red eyes. “Our dad knew everything,” he says, with all the conviction of a child holding onto the delusion that their parents are infallible.

Shigaraki-San chuckles, patting his head. “I’m sure he thought so.” He kneels down to be at eye-level with En, making it hard to avoid the man’s gaze. His expression twists into something more serious. “But he was wrong.”

En bites his tongue, willing himself to not make things worse. It’s not only himself he has to watch out for. He has no idea how crazy Shigaraki-San really is, and if even half the stories their father told are true, then….

…..then, he needs to maintain his composure.

Shigaraki-San must take his silence as En agrees with him, because he continues on. (Or he just doesn’t care, which is probably the correct option). He sighs, placing a faux-gentle hand on En’s tiny shoulder. “My brother was….smart and kind and I’m sure he loved you boys very much, but in the end, he still left you both.”

En jolts back, as if slapped. It was one thing to think such things to yourself but a whole other thing to hear someone else say it. “No,” he whispers, bottom lip quivering.

“Yes, En-Chan, he left you both and got himself killed.”

“No,” En repeats.

“He got himself killed trying to protect….hm…what’s his name again?

En shakes his head. “Stop.”

“Ah, I remember now. The “Black Whip” hero.”

Despite his slow spiral into hysterics, En finds himself blinking slowly up at the (much) taller man. “Do you mean Banjo?”

Shigaraki-San shrugs. “His name is irrelevant to me.”

“B-but my dad told me that knowing someone’s name is respectful.”

“Yes, I taught him that.”

“Then, shouldn’t you-”

For the second time, he shrugs his shoulders. “Like I said, irrelevant to me.” Before En can retort to that particular remark, his self-proclaimed “uncle” scoops him up and puts him back into bed.

He’s tucked in tight, the soft fabric of the comforter tickles his chin. “Sleep-tight,” Shigaraki-San says, patting him on the head. He then leans in to kiss his forehead. “You both have a long day ahead tomorrow. Try to get some sleep.”

He leaves, though En remains vigilant, watching his brother’s sleeping form.

Shigaraki-San’s words don’t hit him until later on, his eyes heavy with sleep. But Banjo-the man who took them in and seemed a stable enough environment-was the one who got their dad killed. In a roundabout way-if what Shigaraki-San says is true-then he's the sole reason En and his brother’s life has been hell. He’s the reason that mom left and hasn’t come back.

With his remaining energy, En cries himself to sleep.

-x-x-x-

A city away, Banjo finds himself on the phone with the police. It’s like pulling teeth, slow and excruciating, to go through the proper channels. He knows he shouldn’t have left those boys unsupervised.

All for One isn’t known for giving up. Yoichi told him that.

The mind-numbing bureaucracy isn’t helping him any. And it definitely isn’t helping those boys either. He hangs up. If the police won’t do anything, then it’s up to him (both as a hero and unofficial legal guardian) to rescue them.

If he remembers correctly, All for One has three main bases (Information on their whereabouts given to him second-hand by a dying Yoichi). It’s a toss-up if the boys are being kept at any of them, but he has to try.

For them.

#cross posted on ao3 #mha fanfiction #all for one #mha au #izuku mydoria #en mha #sixth one for all user #uncle for one #banjo daigoro

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