Marshmallow |BnHA|

Chapter Seven

Shouta jumped a little - well, anyone would. 

He was simply walking out the kitchen, luckily pulling the mug from his lips, when a cucumber was threw a foot from him. Raising an eyebrow, his eyes moved to Izuku, who held Shouta's phone up as if recording, eyes wide. 

"Lettuce?"

 Izuku grinned. "Kisan says your like a Cat! So we wanted to see whether you'd get scared of a cu-cumb-er like one!" Sighing through his nose, Shouta picked up the vegetable and dropped it back in the fridge, this time cautiously entering the living room. 

Izuku was now sat on the floor, voice blabbering as he explained his 'scientific discovery' to the jumping yellow-haired boy on the screen. 

Shouta wondered how the kid learned to face call. "And he jumped! Unkie jumped Kisan!" Denki squealed, laughing and momentarily dropping whatever device he was calling on. A second later, he grabbed it and hoisted it against something, arms wide. 

"You're Uncles a cat Zukun! He's a Human Cat!" 

Izuku burst out laughing, and Shouta tapped his head, gaining his attention. "Five more minutes. You have homework to do." 

He pouted, but nodded nonetheless, and Shouta made his current home the sofa, Patch settling on his lap. Denki got close to the phone, and lowered his voice, as if trying to whisper. 

"You're Cat-Uncle has a cat on him! It's the rise of the Cats!" Izuku shivered, not so sneakily side-eyeing the Hero before also dropping his voice. "Unkie Sho has a whole army! Four Cats Kisan! I'm out numbered!" 

There was a gasp, and Denki's eyes had widened. A second late, he shot Izuku finger guns, the end sparking slightly. "That's okay Zukun! I'll save you! I can't become a Hero on my own!"

Shouta let the rest of the conversation drown out, rubbing his face. Today was Wednesday, Shouta's first night back at work after a month of looking after the Lettuce.

It made his stomach coil.

They had practised Izuku staying with Hizashi - it first being an hour while he wondered around, and progressing to a few headed to Izuku's bedtime. But none when Izuku was asleep. 

It wasn't uncommon Shouta would wake up to Izuku shaking his shoulder, tears raining down his face. It had become a small tradition that when that happened, he'd get a Hot Chocolate with fifteen little Marshmallows, and one big one whilst it cooled down. 

He was worried what would happen if Izuku had another nightmare and Shouta wasn't there; they knew he wouldn't wake Hizashi. 

Sighing into his mug, Shouta cleared his throat, and Izuku pouted, before telling Denki he'd see him the next day and ending the call, handing Shouta his phone back. 

"Go get your homework, I'll help." 

_______________________

"U-Unkie?"

Shouta nodded, hand still detangling Izuku's hair as he lay in bed. 

"Are you a Hero?" 

Izuku's eyes were shining, fiddling with Shouta's goggles - the man was unsure when he'd taken them from his neck and handed them the kid.

"Yes, but it's a secret. You can keep it a secret for me, can't you?"

Nodding excitedly, Izuku pulled the goggles to his face, face scrunching up. "How can you s-see in these?! Wait! What's your Quirk?! Is it like Mama's?!" 

Shaking his head, Shouta let his eyes flash red, hair rising. To which, Izuku squealed and dove to his bedside table, grabbing his notebook and pen. 

"What is it?! It's so cool!" 

He was already scribbling something down, and suddenly looked up, nodding in urgency for Shouta to speak. "If I tell you, promise to go straight to bed and not to misbehave?"

Izuku was generally a good kid, but he was six, and all six-year-old's had their moments.

He nodded.

"It's called Erasure. I can erase someones Quirk - providing it is not mutant type - as long as I can see them."

He hummed through his mumbles, writing down at an alarming rate. Shouta watched in amusement as he did so for about ten minutes, sitting straighter and staring at Shouta like he was the Number One Hero.

"Why does your hair float?! Do you have to make eye contact for it to work?! How long can you keep your eyes open?! Does it hurt?! Do you use your goggles so no one can see exactly where you're looking?! Is it just someone in direct eye sight or could you erase the Quirks of anyone in your field of view?! Can you-" 

Shouta shushed him, pressing a hand to his mouth and shaking his head.

"Lettuce, I can't understand a word you say when you mumble like that."

Izuku looked down, fiddling with his fingers. "S-Sorry." Frowning slightly, Shouta lifted his nephews face.

"No, listen to me Izuku. You're an intelligent kid, and you have a talent. We all have small habits, believe it or not I used to mumble like that too. It doesn't go away, so don't make it and don't apologise. It's not logical. Understand?"

Nodding, Izuku looked up suddenly, mouth gaping.

"W-Wait! If you Erase Quirks, that means you fight Quirkless right?!"

Shouta nodded, and Izuku fumbled out his covers, crawling closer and clasping his hands around his Unkie's arm.

"Does that mean..." He trailed off, eyes full of hope. Shouta realised this was possibly a important moment in the kids life.

He dropped to a whisper.

"Does this mean I can be a H-Hero too? Even though I'm Q-Quirkless?"

"If you put in the effort, yes."