The Quirky Art of Preformance

Too Clean

Charlie tapped on the metal frame of the bed, an irregular tap, tap, tap that hadn't stopped since she had woken up. Nami and I had tried to make her stop but it would only last a minute before she was back at it.

After the fire had died down- and Charlie had passed out in my arms- we had been moved to a nearby hospital to recover. Nami and Charlie weren't really hurt aside from psychological damage. Nami had a few burns that had been treated and bandaged while Charlie had bruises from where I had to grip her to stop her running into the fire.

I came out the worst, I had crescent moon scars that went up both my arms along with burn marks on various locations from the spitting embers that I protected Charlie from. Thankfully, none of them were visible or particularly painful, just a bit annoying when I wanted to lie down.

We- well, me and Charlie- had to wait until our respective parents or guardians to show up. Nami was scrolling through her phone, replying to some messages. Nami was allowed to leave when she wanted to but she wanted to stay with her mum for a while- worried about how she will cope after Kao's death which is why she was sitting in the tension filled room with Charlie and me.

Charlie didn't even know where she would go. She had not parents anymore and she had no immediate family. It was a little like looking in a mirror. It was all happening again.

"Izuku!"

I jumped a little as Misuki burst open the doors. She ran over to me as she started to check every part of me. Masura walked in with Ika in his arms and Kacchan by his side. Ika was crying as she wriggled to get out of Masura's arms.

"Izu!" Masura put her down, letting her run over and jump into my arms. Tears were falling from her eyes as she hugged me tightly, afraid I will go if she lets go. "I thought you were going to go! I thought you were going to leave me like mum and dad! Please! I can't lose you too!"

"Shush, shush, everything is okay, Ika. I am okay..."

Once Ika had calmed down, she sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. Masura was sat next to me as he ran his fingers through Ika's hair. Kacchan and Mitsuki had pulled up two chairs and sat in them with worried expressions.

"Gave us a right scare there, Izu! When we saw the news we went into a right panic, could have called us before you went to the hospital- or at least told them to contact us!" Misuki was being loud, she wasn't stopping, she couldn't. This was like it was back then.

"I'm sorry..."

And there was the tension. Charlie was tapping again, a far off expression on her face.

"So, you're Izu's family," Nami commented, attempting to defuse the tension.

"Yeah, name's Katsuki, Izu's brother. This is Ichika, our sister and my mum and dad, Misuki and Masura," Kacchan introduced semi awkwardly. Like always, after I got hurt, Kacchan was making a point of claiming me as his brother.

Nami decided not to comment on the fact that Ika and I didn't look anything like Kacchan, Misuki or Masura but I have a feeling that was because she already knew about my family. "It's nice to meet you all, I am Namiyo. Over there, that is Charlie. Don't mind her tapping, she is still in shock."

Kacchan nodded politely, sending a cautious glance in Charlie's direction.

"Is her family coming soon?" Masura looked worried at leaving Charlie like this, always the mum.

"Yeah, I think her godfather is coming with his fiance and adopted son," Nami explained, making me look at her. Charlie hadn't mentioned a godfather, or god brother... adopted god brother.

"That will be good, do you know when they are coming?"

"Charlie!" The door- yet again- burst open as a familiar yellow haired musician came charging in. "Oh dear, Charlie! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! How are you emotionally?! Do I need to get you a therapist-" Present mic couldn't finish when Aizawa covered his mouth.

"Maybe aspirin for that headache called Hisashi," Aizawa commented bluntly.

I noticed Shinso who was on his phone- standing awkwardly by the door. Aizawa managed to force Present mic into a chair before dragging Shinso in as well.

"I apologise for him. Sometimes he forgets to use his indoor voice." Aizawa looked around the room, spotting Kacchan and I. "Midoriya, Bakugo," he greeted before pulling up a chair in front of Charlie and stopping her from tapping. "Would you like anything Charlie?"

She shook her head and drew back her hand.

"So," Kacchan spoke up, "you two are engaged? And he is your son?"

"Yeah! I am lucky to have Shota as my soon to be husband and Hitoshi here recently got out of a bad family so we took him under our creative wings!" Present mic wrapped his arms around Aizawa's shoulders as Shinso dodged the attempt to pull him into a hug as well. "And now we have Charlie too! She'll start warming up to us soon enough and we will have one big happy family!"

Mitsuki seemed happy to know that Charlie was going to a good family and Nami had to hold back the laughs bubbling up from her throat. Finally, the door opened once again and a new lady walked in. She looked late thirties with long ginger hair that was tied back into a messy bun. She had a pencil stashed away behind her ear and a pen mark above her lip.

"Nami...?" The lady walked up to her daughter, noticeable bagged showing under her tired grey eyes. Nami slowly stood up as she pulled her mum into a hug. This seemed to be a breaking point for the mother as she sobbed into the crook of her daughter's neck.

"Everything is going to be okay."

"How...?" I turned to look at Charlie who had fresh tears dripping down her face. "How is everything going to be okay...? After everything, how can this ever be okay...?"

Present Mic pulled Charlie into a hug as he whispered to her. "Cause I am going to look after you. You can stay with us for as long as you need and we will look after you."

I held Ika tighter who had a death grip on my neck. Many things were wrong right now, and the end was far away, but maybe there is still a chance. Maybe things can get better. We just have to wait, a long, long time.