Chapter Text
As his eyes fluttered open the first thing he noticed was the room was so dim except for that soft green glow. Where were they? Had they been caught again? He shot up, “Zawa!” he panicked. He had been bleeding and was on the ground. Where was he?
“I’m right here Izuku,” he felt the squeeze of his hand as he turned and began to cry at the sight of the man.
“I thought you were going to die again,” the tears poured down his face.
“But we’re both here,” he comforts him, reaching up to run fingers through Izuku’s hair before gently wiping tears away. His hands were warm against his skin and Izuku leaned into it, instinctually letting out a soft purr.
“Zawa we’re,” he starts but he stops and just lets out a small gasp when the man places a soft kiss to his forehead.
“We are,” he says. “I was going to say something when it happened, but someone was all hopped up on adrenaline and ran off.” Izuku looked sheepish but Zawa just smiled gently, “I’m so happy it’s you.”
“Me too,” Izuku nuzzles deeper into the palm on his cheek. “When Kacchan pointed the change out to my mark, I knew. I knew it was you.”
“Izuku,” Zawa was still holding his cheek and looking him in the eyes as if searching for answers. “What do you want to do? I know what I want but I refuse to pressure you into anything.”
Izuku worried a point of his lip between his teeth, nervous to ask. But between the kiss on his forehead, the hand still gently cupping his cheek and the soft look in Zawa’s eyes, he found the words spilling out, “Can we go on a date?”
Zawa smiled, a big, bright smile he’d never seen on the man before, “I’ll plan the best date,” he promised, leaning their foreheads together. “And if you want, after that one, we can go on more dates.”
“I’d like that,” he smiled before scooting over in the large bed made to accommodate patients with quirks that made them larger than the normal human. “Will you sit with me?” he asks and soon Zawa is next to him in the hospital bed and they’re simply leaning against each other in a comforting way. It feels right, like home, like all the pain and agony since the attack was seeping away.
“Wait!” Izuku suddenly realizes. “I got distracted, is everyone else ok?”
Zawa chuckles. “Sorry to be such a distraction,” he teases and Izuku turns red. “Everyone else is ok. Bakugo was treated for his burns and the injuries the other students had were minor. All of the heroes survived the raid.”
“Survived?” he asked, homing in on that solitary word with concern.
“I don’t have all the details, I’ve been here with you, but apparently the villain above Shigaraki and Ifrit is a man named All for One,” Zawa explained. The name meant nothing to him but that was probably who they called Sensei. “He’s in Tartarus now but All Might had already been severely weakened by him in the past and now, well, basically he has a small form, he’s all thin and sunken eyes, can’t use his powers. Prior to this fight he could only stay as All Might for a few hours but Nem said now he can’t hold it for longer than a minute or so. He’ll have to retire. Everyone else just had minor wounds. I think the worst were Hawks exhausted his quirk and needs to wait for his feathers to grow back and someone jumped in front of Zashi as he was using his quirk which, they should have known better.”
“Wait,” Izuku turned to look at him with annoyance in his eyes, “That jerk had the audacity to tell me I’d be a burden in the field when he could have lost his powers and turned small in the middle of a fight?”
“I don’t want to talk about how much of an asshole All Might is,” Zawa grumbled, looking equally annoyed with the man.
“What about the villains?” Izuku asked.
“They rounded up a number of them,” he shared with a sigh. “But some of them still got away due to Kurogiri. They thought he was neutralized but then warp gate. Your father unfortunately wasn’t there to begin with.”
Izuku felt his body start to tremble at that knowledge, but Zawa wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close, whispering, “We’re going to keep you safe. We won’t let this happen again.” The presence calmed him some.
The door opened and Izuku practically jumped, “Mom,” he squeaked as he started to move away a bit.
“You can stay, I already know and it’s fine with me,” she laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Did either of you think to call a nurse when you woke up, Zuku?” Shouta looked a little sheepish next to him and she just sighed and pushed the call button on the hospital bed before leaning down and kissing her son’s forehead. “I’m glad you’re safe Zuku.”
“Thanks Mom,” he smiled at her.
A nurse came in a few minutes later, checked vitals and fussed over him. She said they’ll have to take him for another x-ray of his arm to make sure it’s healing correctly. “Also, your quirk specialist should be by. We think that green glow may be healing related.”
“I’ve never had a healing quirk,” Izuku seemed confused.
“Kitten, you passed out after you used it on me last night when a Nomu tore my back to shreds. All that’s left are scars,” Zawa’s concerned voice spoke up. “They also had to do surgery to reset your arm because it started healing quickly and incorrectly.”
“I talked to Katsuki and he thinks it may be related to whatever that Sensei, All for One man did,” his mom said. “We’re hoping the quirk specialist can tell us more.”
“I’ve also got a call in to Tsukauchi to see what we can find out about All for One’s quirk since he did something to you with it,” Zawa added.
Izuku nodded when the door was thrown open. “Nerd!”
Kacchan rushed in, dragging Toshi by the hand with Todo-kun trailing behind until they all surrounded his bed. Following a few moments later was Phoenix and Smoke.
“Are you all ok?” Izuku asked.
“We’re fine,” Toshi said, noting Izuku’s position with a smirk. “You look like you’re doing fine too.”
“I thought you said you and Aizawal weren’t soulmates, Midoriya? I was very surprised to find out you were,” Todo-kun said, and while stoic, Izuku couldn’t help but wonder if his friend thought he’d lied to him.
“We just found out during the attack. So, when you asked, I didn’t think we were,” Izuku stumbled through the response.
“Wait, when did you ask?” Kacchan pointed at Todo-kun.
“When Midoriya and I went to go get my clothes from my house after my father was arrested,” he responded.
“Are you kidding, f*cking Icyhot figured it out before me,” Kacchan grumbled.
“Wait, how many of you knew before us?” Zawa asked and everyone in the room looked at each other.
“You know I did,” mom laughed.
“I saw your mark when I went to ask you for batteries before camp,” Kacchan admitted.
“Why do you think I tried to steal your gloves earlier this week?” Toshi asked in exasperation. “We were trying to get you two idiots to touch.”
“It was pretty obvious from your interactions in Hosu, Eraser,” Smoke laughed.
“Yeah,” Phoenix agreed. “We just weren’t sure if it was a secret or not, so we didn’t pry. We were a little surprised to find out at the meeting that you hadn’t realized the bond yet back then.”
Izuku felt himself turning bright red and he hid his face in Zawa’s shoulder. “How did everyone realize before us?”
“I don’t know Kitten,” Zawa sighed happily as he pulled him closer.
“Maybe it’s sh*t like that?” Kacchan pointed out.
“Shut up Pup,” Zawa growled and Izuku couldn’t help but chuckle.
“The others from class wanted to come visit,” Toshi told him and Izuku felt panic rise up in him.
“Are they coming now?” he asked, still cuddled into his soulmate and not wanting to let him go.
“I told the f*ckin extras to give you some space today,” Kacchan declared.
“Bakugo did you just call the rest of my students extras?” Zawa asked in annoyance.
“He’s been doing it since the beginning of the year Shou-kun,” Toshi laughed.
“He’s been doing it his whole life,” Izuku countered.
“Tch, it’s not my fault that’s what they are, Nerd,” he shrugged and Izuku pulled his head up high enough for everyone to see his eyeroll at that which elicited laughs from the room.
There was another knock at the door and in walked a kind looking woman with a smile on her face. “Hi Izuku, I heard that something new came up with your quirk?” The crowd moved and she walked closer to the bed. “Ohh, that glow is certainly new.”
“Hi Dr. Ishida,” he smiled. “It started when I was being held hostage. I was told they think it may be healing related?”
“Well, if all your visitors will step out of the room except your mom, I can do a quick evaluation and we can discuss what’s going on,” she smiled at the crowd in the room.
“Can Zawa stay?” he asked, clutching onto the man’s hand and the doctor quirked an eyebrow.
“They’re soulmates, recently realized,” his mom explained quickly.
“Oh, of course your soulmate can stay Izuku,” she smiled fondly as everyone else was ushered out of the room by Smoke who said a quick goodbye for her and Phoenix as they needed to return to Hosu.
“Alright, I’m just going to do a quick evaluation to start. You remember how that works?” Izuku nodded. “Ok, can I have your free hand?” she asks holding out her own. Izuku places his hand in hers and watches as her eyes take on that now familiar blue glow. Her brows furrow and after about a minute the glow stops, and she moves her hand away. “Izuku, you have two new quirks.”
Izuku felt his heart pick up slightly, startled by this, but felt the squeeze from Zawa’s hand as his mom spoke up, “What do you mean? That’s impossible.”
“He has 2 new quirks, but they don’t seem brand new like a quirk that’s just manifested, just new to him and definitely not part of his original quirk,” Dr. Ishida insists. “There’s a healing quirk, which is what that green glow is. It uses small amounts of your energy to speed up your own healing or larger amounts to heal others. Your own healing it seems to start automatically though you could learn to shut it off. It draws a steady stream of energy and while it may make you a little tired, there’s no worry of it exhausting you. However healing others is by choice, and it seems it can easily exhaust you.”
“He passed out after healing me yesterday,” Zawa pointed out. “The doctor said it was exhaustion.”
“You’ll need to learn to control the output and with practice may be able to administer more healing with less of a drawback. You attend UA, correct?” Izuku nodded in response. “The best person to learn that from would be Recovery Girl if she’d be willing to teach you.”
“I’m a teacher there,” Zawa said. “She regularly works with any students with healing quirks so I can talk to her about creating a time to work with Izuku. If you’d send me the report on his new quirk, we can come up with a training plan.”
“I can make sure you get the report Shouta,” mom nodded. “You mentioned another quirk?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “it’s actually identical to another I’ve seen in the past. They called it Weak Point. It’s an emitter quirk and allows you to identify physical weaknesses in people or objects. It’s activated at will, basically by trying to understand somethings weak points. The downside is more complex things take time to analyze. With simple things you may just understand the weak points with a short loo but with more complex items or people, you may physically see the information in your vision, so you have to keep your eyes open during activation. It can result in headaches and dry eye. Also, your eyes will glow a golden color so it’s an obvious tell.”
“That last part is like your quirk, Zawa,” Izuku said.
“I can help you with training that,” he offered and Izuku smiled before turning back to the doctor. “You said it’s identical to another quirk you’ve seen?”
“Yes, which is strange. Even family members with very similar quirks will often have some variation to them but this one is exactly like Weak Point. Do you know how you got these other quriks?” Dr. Ishida asked.
“I may be able to help with that,” Detective Tsukauchi offered from the doorway. “Izuku, I have some questions about what happened after the doctor leaves, but first can you tell me what happened when you met the man they referred to as Sensei?”
“My father said he had a gift for me and that I should be happy because he doesn’t give gifts to everyone,” Izuku remembered. “Then there was a red light and it felt like something was being forced into me, like an energy that wasn’t mine. Then it stopped and he left. My father said I’d come to appreciate his gifts.”
“What I’m about to say is confidential,” Tsukauchi said. “The man referred to as Sensei is actually a Villain known as All for One. That much you probably know from the news and other reports. What isn’t public information is that he’s been around since the beginning of quirks, surviving through use of a quirk that extends his life. But his real quirk however is in his ability to give and take quirks. It’s how he’s amassed followers in every generation. Giving gifts is one way he wins loyalty but also how he develops his soldiers and possibly the nomu, though they also seem to contain DNA from other humans.”
“That would explain why the quirks seem developed even though you still need to learn control over them,” Dr. Ishida looked concerned.
“So he gave Izuku quirks as a way to win him over and create a villain he wanted?” Zawa seemed angry as Tsukauchi nodded.
“I don’t want them then,” Izuku insisted, distraught but the idea a villain would think Izuku owed him, was created to be something.
“Unfortunately, the only way to remove them is to allow him to use his quirk and that would be dangerous,” the detective said. “We have no clue what other quirks he may have and even with the security of Tartarus, it be unwise to remove his quirk suppressants even for a moment.”
Zawa’s face had scrunched up during this like he was concentrating on something. “He was trying to develop you for infiltration and support,” he finally said.
“What?” Izuku asked.
“Your father must have been confident you would join them one way or another,” he said. “And we’ve already discussed your ability to infiltrate using your cat form. Imagine how dangerous that skill would be now that you can identify weaknesses. Add to that front line healing from someone who can quickly move around a battlefield as a cheetah.”
“They thought I’d eventually help them with whatever they wanted,” Izuku looked angry.
“He wouldn’t have given you quirks if he didn’t, though understand if you didn’t join him willingly he’d probably have broken you, turned you into a nomu, or just taken all your quirks and decided you were a failed project,” Tsukauchi stated. “And Eraser’s theory makes sense.”
“I’m going to learn to use these quirks and they’re going to realize their mistake,” Izuku’s tone was murderous. “Ifrit should have never thought I’d join him.”
Zawa pulled him closer, “That’s my kitten.”
***
“Aizawa, Midoriya-san, Midoriya-kun,” Nezu welcomed them into his office early that morning a couple days after they’d been discharged. “Before we get started, I want to say I got the details on your new quirks and am adjusting your schedule. Recovery Girl has already stated she’ll happily start working with you on controlling your power as soon as you’re able and will let you practice once there are students to heal, and I believe Aizawa is planning to start training you this week on your other quirk?”
“That’s correct Nezu-sensei,” Izuku nodded.
“Perfect,” the rat smiled. “Now, onto the main topic of our appointment today. I understand you have discovered you are soulmates?”
“Yes sir,” Shouta nodded. “I know we discussed the matter of my soulmate when I first started teaching and as you know it turns out Izuku is my soulmate.”
“I was frankly not surprised by the development,” Nezu stated as he sipped his tea. “I assume we’re here to discuss permissions and how this will impact things moving forward?”
“Yes,” Shouta stated, taking Izuku’s hand. “We plan to start dating.”
“I see,” Nezu nods, “And Midoriya-san is ok with this?”
“I suspected they were soul mates the first time I saw them together,” Ko-chan smiled. “I’ve been prepared for this possibility for over a year.”
“That doesn’t answer my question of if you’re ok with it?” Nezu stated, his cheery voice holding something sharp underneath it. “As the two are teacher and student, under the soulmate laws they require your permission to proceed with any form of a romantic relationship.”
“Shouta treats Zuku like he’s the most important thing in this world,” she smiled. “He respects my son and his boundaries, understands his wants and needs, supports and protects him, and encourages him to be a better version of himself. I know from my observations that he’d never take advantage of Zuku. I know the age difference and him being a teacher complicates things, but I honestly couldn’t hope for something better for my son.”
“Thank you Ko-chan,” he smiles at her, moved that she feels that way.
“And Midoriya-kun, how do you feel?” Nezu asks.
Izuku blushed. “I love Zawa, I loved him before I knew we were soulmates, but I thought a relationship would be impossible. Now that I know, I want to be with him.”
Nezu nods, “Well it seems everyone is in agreement.” He pulls out some papers. “Due to the laws regarding soulmates, so long as we have all the paperwork in order and no favoritism happens then there is no issue. I’ll complete random reviews of Midoriya-kun’s work to ensure he is being graded fairly, though knowing you I doubt that will be a problem Aizawa.” He passes the paperwork to Ko-chan to start filling out.
“Now, regarding the dorms,” Nezu stated. “Like we planned for your brother and ward, Midoriya-kun will still have his own room in the Class 1-A dorms. I will encourage him to stay there often in order to bond further with his classmates. However, as your soulmate, we understand you will need time together as part of your bond so he will be allowed to stay with you in your dorm room in the Class 1-A dorms or the Teacher Dorms. He is of the age of consent and the soulmate laws that protect your relationship despite being student/teacher do include consensual physical relationships. My only request is that you refrain from any sexual activity in the 1-A dorms in an effort to set a good example for the other students.” Shouta was fairly certain he was as red as Izuku.
“That’s not a topic we’ve discussed as we haven’t even had our first official date yet, but should it come up before Izuku graduates, we will certainly keep that in mind,” Aizawa glares at the rat.
“Thank you Aizawa,” Nezu sips his tea. “With Midoriya-san’s consent you will also have permission to take him off campus for personal matters that aren’t directly related to escorting him to other locations.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” she smiles. “I expect they’ll want to go on dates and all the boys will want to spend time away from campus, things like that. Plus, I still expect all 5 of you for dinner on Sundays.”
“Is there anything else Nezu-sensei?” Izuku asks.
“I believe once the soulmate consent forms are completely signed by all three of you that should be everything,” Nezu smiles.
“Good,” Shouta nods, “Because we have plans, and I don’t want to be late.”
