The Forest Thing

Chapter 15: Late nights

The being disguised as a fly gently landed on a wooden bench in the corner of a park, lit only by the light of the moon above him. He looked around for a moment to be sure he wasn't being watched before the forest thing turned to his humanoid form.

Izuku didn't usually go out at night. Most nights he would be at the Bakugou residence, sleeping alongside Katsuki. But these past few nights have been different.

Ever since Endeavor was arrested, Izuku has been paying more attention to the students. Well, more than he usually did anyway.

In the best case scenario, Shouto was the only student who needed help with their home situation. Worst case scenario... Izuku doesn't want to think about that.

With the final exams finished and summer break started, the students have been at home a lot more. What better time to do some secret house checks?

And no, Izuku isn't stalking these kids.

...Okay, maybe he is a little, but he's just trying to make sure his kids are safe! What kind of guardian would he be if he let his kids stay in unsafe homes?

Fortunately, over these last few days of investigation, Izuku hasn't had to report any more bad parents. Honestly, he was thankful. He didn't want any of his kids to suffer the way the Todoroki kids had.

Izuku looked down at the wrinkled paper he held, a list of student names and addresses, a little checkmark next to the name of every student he's checked in on so far and the only one left on the list was Shinso.

At first, Izuku thought getting the addresses of students would be difficult, he thought he would have to sneak into UA to snoop through their records, or something. But after a quick chat with principal Nedzu, the rat being happily helped the forest thing with his quest to make sure all the problem children were safe at home.

Izuku wasn't surprised by Nedzu anymore.

"The last one on the list is Hitoshi," Izuku muttered to himself as he double and triple checked the list to make sure he hadn't forgotten anyone, "It's only half-past one so I should have time to check-in and be back in Katsuki's room before he wakes up."

With a plan in mind, the forest thing folded the paper up and slid it into the pocket of his old, worn pants. He pushes himself off the park bench, leaves falling from his messy, green hair as he moves, then he changes to a fly again.

And if you're going to ask where the paper goes when he transforms, then don't bother, Izuku doesn't know either.

_________________________

Izuku was quite surprised to find out that Hitoshi was in foster care, though he could easily guess why it still made him sad.

The fact that he was born with a quirk that most would describe as 'villainous' wasn't his fault, and the fact that someone gave up such a strong, determined kid, it made Izuku angry.

He didn't know Hitoshi that well, but from the interactions he has had with the boy over the past few months, Izuku can tell he's a good kid. Despite the apathetic tone, the bored expression, and the eyebags that remind him of Aizawa, he could tell that Hitoshi cared and he could tell how much it hurt the kid when someone told him he was a villain. Izuku could relate in a way.

But this isn't about Izuku! He needs to stay focused on the task at hand. He needs to find the right house and he needs to make sure his kid is okay.

As Izuku approached the house, he noticed that all the lights were out beside one and as he got closer to the lit window, he noted that it was a bedroom, if you could call it that. It looked more like a jail cell, without the toilet of course. Uncomfortable mattress, uncomfortable pillow, old grey sheets, and a wardrobe that looked like it was as old as Izuku.

On the bed, idly scrolling on his phone, was the exact lilac-haired boy Izuku had come to see.

"Why is he awake? It's almost two in the morning," Izuku thought as he flew in through the open window.

The forest thing got closer to the teen on the bed, trying to be at least a little stealthy. He didn't want Hitoshi to see him, even if he was a fly.

Izuku touched down on the wall next to Hitoshi's bed and took in the boy's appearance. The same gravity-defying hair, the same eyebags, the same bored express- wait...

How had he not noticed the thing- mask? on his face? A dark, seemingly metal, mask that covers the lower part of his face.

Hitoshi dropped his phone on the bed next to him and reached his hand up to his face, scratching at the edge of the mask with a pained hiss.

That's when it clicked. This isn't just a mask like the one Shoji wears, and it isn't the kind of mask you wear when you're sick either.

It's a muzzle.

________________________

Shouta just wants a simple life, but of course, he can't have that. He has jobs, responsibilities, and so many problem children.

He was looking forward to a nice quiet night off. An entire evening of relaxing in his sleeping bag with a thermos of coffee and his cats. What could be better?

Honestly, he's still tired from the final exams and they happened three days ago, and Hizashi yelling at him every chance he gets doesn't help Shouta feel less tired.

There are so many loud blondes at the school this year, Shouta didn't think someone could be almost as loud and obnoxious as Hizashi until he met Bakugou. Don't even get him started on Kaminari.

Don't get him wrong, he doesn't hate his students, but all of them are problem children.

Shouta was just happy he could finally relax.

The tired man was just crawling into his sleeping bag when there was a knock on his door.

Shouta groans and rubs his temples as he feels the beginning of a headache. He pulls himself away from his nice, warm sleeping bag and walks over to the door, looking through the peephole.

On the other side of the peephole, Shouta could see a bright green eye looking right back at him, like something from a horror movie. It didn't scare him, he's seen scarier things as an underground hero, but he would admit that it was weird.

Shouta unlocks the door and pulls it open, immediately making eye contact with familiar green eyes, eyes that belong to one of UA's newest cryptids, and he's standing on Shouta's doorstep.

"Shouta, we need to talk." The young-looking boy blurts before the tired teacher could ask what he's doing at his house in the middle of the night.

But if he's here so late then it's probably really important.

Shouta sighs and begrudgingly steps aside so the eldritch being can enter his apartment. "Students don't call me Shouta."

The greenette walks into the apartment, his viridian curls bouncing with every step and the occasional leaf falling out.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not one of your students, huh? Plus, I'm at least five centuries older than you, so..." The forest thing shrugs as he turns to look at Shouta.

As much as Shouta didn't believe Izuku when he spoke about how old he was, the man had to admit that there was something in the boy's eyes that made him want to believe it.

No matter how many times he looks into Izuku's eyes, it's never like looking at a teenager. Beneath the friendly, wide eyes is something Shouta couldn't name because he doesn't know what it is.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that this human-like being isn't human. Sometimes it's easy to forget he isn't another problem child in Shouta's class.

He can already tell this was going to be a long night.