Chapter Text
“So, we gonna talk about that kiss, or…” Izuku asked, twirling a strand of Hitoshi’s hair around his finger. They had finally been cleared to go home from Kamino and Kacchan was holed up in his room, leaving his two friends to their own devices once he made sure they were fed and had drank water.
Athena was draped across Hitoshi’s stomach as Hitoshi draped across Izuku’s bed with his head in Izuku’s lap. “What’s to talk about?” Hitoshi asked, turning his head away.
Izuku tugged on the hair lightly and leaned over to better look at Hitoshi’s face. There was no reaction so Izuku tugged lightly on the hair again, causing Hitoshi to glance up at him. He looked scared and Izuku hated it. Izuku moved his other hand to rest on Hitoshi’s cheek. “Given that my best friend-” Hitoshi winced, “and my longtime crush-” Hitoshi’s eyes widened in surprise, “kissed me as I headed into a fight against the supervillain, I would assume that there is something we have to talk about.”
“You-” Hitoshi started, closing his eyes. “You aren’t mad?”
Izuku couldn’t help the disbelieving laugh that escaped him. “Why on earth would I be mad at you? Besides the fact that your kiss almost distracted me from the fight.”
Hitoshi tilted his head away again. “Sorry,” he mumbled.
Izuku turned his face towards him and leaned down, kissing him. Izuku pulled back for a second and saw Hitoshi’s eyes snap open to meet Izuku’s before they both closed their eyes and gave in. It was over after a few moments and Izuku sat up again. “Next time, make sure you ask me out before kissing me,” Izuku said, smiling down at Hitoshi.
Hitoshi hurriedly sat up, dislodging a disgruntled Athena, and faced Izuku sitting cross legged in front of him. Izuku gaped and hurriedly moved his legs out the way so he was sitting cross legged too. “Midoriya Izuku, will you be my boyfriend?”
Izuku could feel his face heating up quickly as he let out a little giggle and raised his hands to cover his face. “Hitoshi, you big dork. You’re not even going to ask me out on a date first?” He lowered his hands from his face and looked at his friend, who had horror creeping into his features. Izuku reached forward and gripped Hitoshi’s hands. “Of course I’ll be your boyfriend.”
Hitoshi leaned forward and kissed him again. When they pulled away from each other, Hitoshi flopped on the bed next to Izuku. Izuku slid down on his bed to lay next to him and rested his head on Hitoshi’s chest, grabbing his frie- no, boyfriend’s hand, interlocking their fingers. Athena jumped onto Hitoshi’s lap and circled twice before settling down on his legs. Soon enough they were passing out, smiling and feeling safer than ever.
***
“How exactly do you know this person?” Echo asked as they ducked into an alleyway. It was just past midnight, they’d slept maybe two hours, and their trip was taking longer than expected since Medusa couldn’t make one direct trip without falling into at least 3 incidents he wanted to stop.
“Anybody who’s anybody in the underworld knows him. He buys and sells anything and everything, including knowledge. I just so happen to know that he was working very closely with the League of Villains,” Medusa explained as they hopped up onto a precariously balanced board and walked along it with their arms out. “He has to know where they went.”
“I just don’t get why he isn’t answering the phone,” Echo grumbled. “Would make this a hell of a lot easier, especially since we don’t know what kind of house to start looking for until we know who exactly needs housing.”
“We’re still waiting on our paperwork to be processed anyways. We’ll probably find them before we can even start looking. I’m just glad I got that day job,” Medusa responded, jumping off the end of the beam.
“Of course you did, you’re too adorable not to hire,” Echo said, bumping their shoulders together. “Especially at a cat cafe that you spend almost every weekend at anyways.”
Medusa rolled their eyes. “Whatever you say, Echo. Either way we’re here. Remember what I told you?”
“I’m just a guest, an observer at that. Don’t give any personal information on top of not giving any information at all. Stand back and watch, no matter how much he digs or what he says to you,” Echo repeated back their instructions.
“Perfect echo, Echo,” Medusa said with a smirk even though Echo couldn’t see it.
They came to a stop in front of an alcove in an alley. Medusa knocked in some pattern on the alcove wall and the door opened immediately to reveal an older man with white hair, glasses, and showing missing teeth as he held a cigarette between them. “Well, well, well,” Giran said in a weasley voice. “Medusa has returned to the Strait of Messina once more, and with a friend no less.”
“And still choosing to fall into Charybdis than chance Scylla,” Medusa countered.
Giran laughed and waved the two vigilantes in. “I assume you’re here for information?”
“If you know why I’m here, then just cut to the point, Giran. We have a lot of work to do,” Medusa said, crossing their arms.
Giran laughed as he blew out a puff of smoke. “Well, I do know the location of Charybdis, but you’ll have to pay.”
“What’s new?” Medusa asked, before he could state the price.
“Just a little information from you is all I ask,” Giran continued, ignoring the snark. “There’s a certain harpy taking out villains at night.”
“What do you want?” Medusa asked when he didn’t continue.
“I need his hero name,” Giran said. “Dressed in black with a grey scarf.”
“It’s a capture weapon and his hero name is Eraserhead.” Medusa stated. “Give me the location.”
“Perfect,” Giran smiled. He gave them the address for a warehouse on the other side of the city and they took their leave before he could try to press them for more information.
“Strait of Messina?” Echo asked.
“Allusion for the underground. Charybdis is the LOV, and Scylla is the yakuza,” Medusa explained as they ducked through allies to get to the warehouse.
Echo hummed in acknowledgement. “You realize we won’t get to the warehouse until just before sunrise? Pomeranian will be suspicious if neither of us are back.”
“He’ll be fine,” Medusa stated.
“We could use faster transportation,” Echo continued.
“And what do you suggest? That we hail a taxi in our vigilante forms?” Medusa snapped.
“I was thinking we could take the bike that’s next to that dumpster, actually. It’s got back pegs that you could stand on,” Echo said, ignoring their tone.
Medusa stopped in their tracks and looked towards the dumpster, where there indeed was a bike, perfectly intact. “Oh.”
Echo smirked as they went to test the tires, and finding them full, hopped on. Medusa stood on the back of the bike and in no time, they were riding through the streets at a decent speed towards the other side of the city.
“Didn’t know you could cycle so well,” Medusa noted as they sped around a corner.
“I used to have a bike at my foster’s house, but they dumped it one night,” Echo explained.
“We can get you another one,” Medusa offered.
“No, it’s fine,” Echo said, waving them off. “We have enough on our plates besides.”
Medusa clicked their tongue but didn’t press. Echo’s birthday was coming up and he’d been wondering what to get them anyways. The rest of the ride was in silence besides Echo’s heavy breaths as they biked as fast as they could to the other side of the city.
It took maybe an hour to get to the warehouse. Medusa could tell that Echo had underplayed his love of cycling after about ten minutes, but was still surprised at the speed he held for the full hour. The warehouse itself was an old building, clearly not being used for anything in an outside perspective.
They discarded the bike in the alley between the warehouse and another building before sneaking up to one of the warehouse’s windows. The warehouse was definitely soundproofed because as they peered through the window, they saw Tenko and Dabi shouting at each other about something.
Medusa sighed. “This is going to be a mess.”
Echo nodded grimly. “How should we do this?”
By the time Echo turned from the window to look at Medusa, they were gone. They gaped and turned in a circle, looking high and low for their partner, but they were gone. They mumbled about stupid vigilantes with a reckless streak as they turned back to the window to look back at the scene inside only to find Medusa screaming at the pair. They gaped once more wondering how in the hell Medusa had got inside so quickly and how they’d already picked a fight. A portal opened next to them and they sighed as they stepped through, immediately being accosted by screaming voices.
“-ve a damn phone, use it !” Medusa screamed at Tenko.
Dabi was hiding his laughter behind his hand, whatever he’d been arguing about with Tenko forgotten as he watched his leader be berated by a teenage vigilante.
“It’s been off so no one could track the location!” Tenko argued back, scratching at his neck. Luckily he had the foresight to grab his gloves before he left and he was wearing them now so he didn’t damage his neck.
“I fucking reprogrammed the damn thing so that couldn’t happen and you know that you dumbass!” Medusa yelled. “I had to go to motherfucking Giran to figure out where you were hiding out!”
“Perhaps we should calm down,” Mr. Compress tried interjecting as he stepped up with raised hands.
That was the wrong move. When Medusa is on a rampage, it is best to not step in unless you want their rage turned on you. “And you! You’re supposed to be one of the adults! Where was your sense of responsibility? Did you not think to check in or anything ?”
Mr. Compress was currently not wearing his mask, so they could all see his face pale as he took a step back. “Well, I-”
Medusa waved them off. “Didn’t think so.” They rounded on Kurogiri, whose misty body started swirling anxiously. Medusa pointed a finger at him and he flinched back. “You are the guardian in this instance, are you not?”
“Erm, yes?” Kurogiri said, unsure.
“You have not only my number, but Echo’s. Not only did you not contact us, but you also ghosted us. We have been cleared from the hospital and trying to get in contact with the two of you for almost 20 hours now!” Medusa ranted, voice rising as his anger rose again.
Echo sighed and stepped forward. “Medusa.”
Medusa whipped towards them and Echo could see the anger in their eyes, but also the fear, relief, and anxiety.
“They’re here and safe, calm down,” Echo said. “This isn’t what we came here for.”
Medusa shook their head and turned back to Tenko. “You’ll be hearing more about this, but Echo’s right.” Medusa stepped back to look at the whole group. “Gather around, we need to talk.”
Twice and Toga jumped up from their spots on a pallet across the room and walked over, Magne joining from where she’d been leaning on a box near them.
“Alright, we need to figure out housing and plans for you all. Tenko?” Medusa asked, turning to the leader of the group.
“Sensei is gone,” Tenko muttered, looking down.
“Do you still want to follow on your path, or do you want to try to not get arrested and turn your lives around?” Medusa asked the whole of the group. They took their masks off so that their face was bare.
The group tensed up and looked towards Tenko. Tenko sighed. “I don’t know what to do anymore. All of our plans are ruined.”
“They weren’t good plans to begin with,” Izuku muttered.
“I never went forward with my plan,” Dabi grumbled, running his hands through his hair, revealing white roots. He really needed to dye it soon if he wanted to keep up his disguise.
“Your father?” Izuku inquired.
Dabi only nodded, clenching his jaw and looking away from the group.
“That is one of many things on my list to figure out. I would be happy to work with you on bringing him down and bringing your family justice. But, you’d have to stop villainy in the meantime,” Izuku offered.
Dabi shook his head before sighing and going to stand with Echo. It seemed they’d become the point of where to go if they decided to drop their villain status because one look at Toga and she giggled and skipped over to Echo without Izuku even saying anything.
Izuku sighed with a fond smile on his face. He looked to the rest of the group, gaze stopping on Magne who looked contemplative. “What are you thinking Big Sis?”
Magne’s gaze snapped to the boy. “I can go back to my dad’s. Open a coffee shop or something and help him out. Make sure that he’s doing okay.”
Izuku smiled at her, warmth lighting up his gaze. “I think he’d appreciate that very much, but if you ever need a break or it gets to be too much, you can always let us know.”
Magne walked over and gave him a hug. “I’ll always be your big sis, I’ll always be here for you too,” she said as she pulled away and went to stand by Echo with the others.
Izuku turned to the rest of the group.
“I can figure something out. There’s always people offering odd jobs here and there, and I have enough saved up to start renting an apartment,” Spinner shrugged.
“I still got my apartment! Fucking shithole is what it is! ” Twice added in.
“I know of some therapists that I think can help you. We’ll take a look together, yeah?” Izuku asked. Twice nodded as he walked over to Echo and Toga jumped on him to give him a hug.
“Twice can stay at my house in the meantime,” Mr. Compress said. “It won’t be a problem,” he added when Twice started waving his hands and stating it wasn’t necessary to burden himself.
Tenko groaned. “The league is done for. Was there even a point to begin with?”
“We can talk about it later, Tenko, but for now, I’d like to offer for you and Kurogiri to come stay with us,” Izuku said, smiling at his friend. “We have an extra room, and Hitoshi and I can share a room so that Dabi and Toga can move in for a bit if they want.”
“You’re in an apartment with a school friend aren’t you?” Kurogiri asked.
“Yes, but Hitoshi and I are getting emancipated. I’m quirkless, so I’m technically an adult by legal means, and Hitoshi is in the foster system, so we got it worked out with his fosters already,” Izuku said. “Besides, I already got a job and once I’m an adult I’ll be able to take out a loan for a house. We were waiting to see who all needed housing before we started house hunting.”
Kurogiri dipped his head in acknowledgement.
Tenko sighed and dropped his shoulders. “I don’t know what to do. Everything I was raised for has been ruined and taken away.”
“We’ll figure it out, one step at a time,” Hitoshi interjected as they took off their mask and pulled back their hood with one hand. Toga was holding their other hand and swinging it back and forth. “There’s no need to have answers so immediately after everything happened.”
Izuku smiled at his partner. “Why don’t we all go to our respective places and sleep on it. We can check in tomorrow or some later time. There’s definitely no way I’m losing contact with everyone.”
Tenko nodded as Toga agreed with a loud whoop.
Izuku turned to Kurogiri, but he was already opening several portals next to the different groups.
“We’ll at least text to check in tomorrow!” Izuku called out as everyone started saying goodbye. Soon enough it was only a small group of those going to Izuku’s apartment. “Well, let’s go home.”
Kurogiri opened one more portal and they all warped to the living room of the apartment. Izuku sighed and looked at the group around him. “Welcome to our temporary living situation, let me-”
A glass shattered and the group whipped around to see Kacchan standing in the kitchen, hand still gripping the air where his cup, now shattered on the floor, had been. “Izu? What the absolute fuck ?”