hero's shadow // mha

37) breaking point

(warnings: slight gore; emotional breakdown—starts at first bold Izuku and ends at the second bold Izuku)

Hizashi wakes to the sound of keys turning in the door lock.

His eyes snap open, muscles tensing and arm instinctively curling tighter around the boy in his side—but then his husband steps through the doorway a moment later and he relaxes.

It must still be late if Shouta's just now getting home. Well, early would be a more appropriate term depending on what kind of person you are.

The television is still on and, by the looks of it, playing another Disney classic. If Hizashi's memory serves him correctly, this one is Mulan. He must have turned the volume down sometime before falling asleep, though, as he can barely hear it now. The sound is a mere white noise in the background, and the light from the screen casts a faint glow in the otherwise pitch-black room.

"You're still up?" Shouta asks quietly, shutting the door gently behind him. He looks surprised that Hizashi still has his hearing aids in—the voice hero forgot to take them out before going to sleep. Midoriya's presence pushed him out of his normal routine, it seems. Though that's not a bad thing.

Not a bad thing at all.

Shouta takes off his capture weapon and hangs it up on the wall, his mouth making a little o-shape once he sees the second, much smaller figure curled up next to his husband. He frowns and pads closer after slipping out of his boots, neon cat socks sliding over the hardwood floor. "Is he alright?"

Hizashi hums something in affirmation, making sure to keep his voice quiet so as not to wake him. "He was sitting out here a few hours after you left." He tilts his head and resumes carding his fingers through Midoriya's hair. "Turns out that watching the Kardashians yell at each other over family drama is a good way to get him to sleep."

The black-haired man lets out a fond huff and moves closer, peering down at the pair from behind the couch. He doesn't look to have any cuts or bruises on him from patrol, Hizashi notes, so he leaves it be for now. "Want me to carry him to his room? Sleeping on the couch is going to kill your back, you know."

Well, according to Hizashi's phone it's only been a couple of hours since they both fell asleep. There's not much time left before the sun comes up, so why bother going through all that?

Hizashi shakes his head. "You might wake him up, and just look at him. He looks like he needs all the sleep he can get, Sho."

Shouta does look, dark eyes settling on the face half-hidden in Hizashi's side, a few freckles just visible for them to see. He looks smaller, Hizashi decides when he looks at Midoriya as well. More peaceful.

He hasn't seen the kid look this carefree since, well, ever. Not even at school, where he's supposed to be safe and surrounded by pro-heroes. He always looks apprehensive and on edge, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for the blow to land. And who's dealing the blow, Hizashi isn't sure. Maybe to Midoriya, it's everyone.

No. He's not gonna move him or leave him here. He told the kid he'd stay with him, so he's going to do just that.

"I'll stay out here tonight," he whispers, readjusting the blanket so it goes back up over the listener's shoulders. "You can go to bed without me. Did you eat?"

Shouta nods and mutters something about getting a burger along the way, which isn't a surprise. He normally does that on nights where his patrol goes on a bit later than usual.

"And fine," Shouta adds, "stay out here if you want. But you better not complain about your back hurting in the morning."

He's obviously joking, but Hizashi teases him anyway. "I'd never."