Chapter Text
Hizashi and Nemuri ended up coming over for New Year's Eve. Yoru and Shinso both (somehow happily) helped clean the apartment to the best of their abilities, while Shota did most of the work. All the while, they listened to a recording of last Friday’s show of ‘Put Your Hands Up Radio’, since they had missed Hizashi’s previous segment.
A tradition Shota had not been aware of, was Otoshidama. His parents never participated, so he was initially confused when both Nemuri and Hizashi handed the children small envelopes containing 1000 yen each.
All in all, it was a nice evening. The children, as well as the adults, had fun. However, the two four-year-olds fell asleep on the couch at around 8 PM, after dinner was done.
“Oh, just look at them! How precious! The youth, too tired for the big event. Falling asleep like that. Look, Yoru even has her head rested on the boy’s shoulder while he’s got his arm interloped with hers! Shota, is this the classic childhood friends to lovers trope? Do you think they’ll get married once they’re older? How romantic!”
“Shut up, Kayama. They’re kids.”
“I know! Doesn’t that make it even cuter?”
“Sho, buddy! You gotta admit, it is pretty fucking adorable.”
“You, too, Yamada? I think they merely find a lot of comfort in each other. He came over only yesterday, and it’s like a complete 180 for her. You saw how hyped she was tonight.”
Pause.
“How’s she doing?”
“How do you think? She had her first therapy session and went to quirk counseling yesterday.”
“And?”
“She’s got a quirk.”
“Huh. Didn’t she say at the police station that she didn’t have one?”
“She didn’t know.”
“And what’s her quirk?”
Yes, so all in all, it was a nice evening. The next morning, Shota contemplated his existence when he was woken by two very much awake children, ready to see the sunrise.
A couple of days later, Shota and Yoru find themselves standing opposite of each other in the living room of the apartment, the cats nestled together on the couch, watching curiously what the food providers are up to now.
“Alright, Sweetheart. Try to attack me.”
“But I don’t wanna hurt you!”
“You won’t. Not really. But try to. Do you remember where to hit and kick me?”
“Back of your knees, between your legs, stomp on your feet.”
“What else?”
“I’m small and should try running away first. And scream.”
“Good. What if you’re picked up?”
“Bite and use my elbows and keep on screaming. Scratch them loads. Wiggle, so I am not easy to hold.”
“What else are good ways to hurt your opponent?”
“My opponent?” Yoru tilts her head to the side.
“The person who wants to hurt you.”
“If I can, I should try hurting their eyes or throat.”
“And how do you form a fist?”
“Like this!”
“No, thumb out. You might break it otherwise.”
“Okay. Like this?”
“Yes. Good. Now, try to attack me.”
Yoru lowers her arms, her eyebrows creasing together. “Daddy, I don’t wanna hurt you.”
“And I don’t want to see you hurt. You can be strong, Yoru, but you are also still small and if you know how to defend yourself, you won’t be as easy of a target.”
Yoru takes a deep breath and raises both her tiny fists.
“Your thumbs, Yoru.”
“Right.”
“Now, look how I’m standing. Legs wide, one foot slightly in front of the other. That’s so I can easily run away or attack. Gives me balance, too.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, good. Now, come at me.”
Who’s to say if teaching self-defense to a four-year-old might be over the top? Probably plenty of people, Shota thinks. But most four-year-olds also have not been kidnapped before, so it’s not like he cares.
Half an hour later, and Shota is icing his crotch while Yoru looks downright exhausted, sweaty hair sticking to her forehead.
“Well done.” He groans out. “You really got me with that last punch.”
“Sorry, Daddy.” She takes a big gulp from her glass of water.
“No, no apologizing. That was good.”
“But I don’t like hurting you.”
“I know, and thank you for that.” Shota takes a deep breath, slightly wincing at the pain between his legs, while Yoru continues to quench her thirst. “Hey, Yoru?”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to start any hobbies?”
“Hobbies?”
“Yes. Something you like to do in your spare time once you start kindergarten.”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. What can I do?”
“It’s up to you.”
“Can I play the guitar?”
“Not yet, you’re still too small. We have to wait a little bit before you’re big enough for the children’s guitars.”
Too young to play the guitar, but old enough to have to learn self-defense moves. What a fucked up world.
“But what else can I do?”
“How about some physical exercise?”
“What?”
“Like gymnastics, ballet, dancing, you could join me when I do Yoga at home.”
“What’s Yoga?” Yoru tilts her head to the side, looking like a curious puppy.
“What I did yesterday. The stretching. It helps with staying flexible.”
It’s not just simply stretching, but how to properly explain Yoga to a child?
“Yes, that looks fun!”
“Great, so Yoga it is. What about the other things that I mentioned? You could also try a team sport, soccer, for example, or baseball.”
“No, what you said earlier sounds fun! I think Mama dances, she showed me some videos of it, I think.”
“So, gymnastics, ballet, or dancing?”
“All of it!”
Oh boy. Shota can already feel his bank account complaining.
“How about this, we go to some test lessons first and see what you like, and then we decide?”
“Yes, okay!”
Yoru’s first day of kindergarten sneaks up quicker than expected. During the remaining two weeks after New Year’s, Shota and she got used to spending a little more time without the other. It was necessary. For both of them.
Some afternoons, Yoru stayed at the Shinsos, other days, Nemuri took her to a shrine, and Hizashi even brought her to the radio studio once. Shota took her to a ballet test lesson on the Thursday before kindergarten starts. Yoru enjoyed herself. It went well.
Until he researched what ballet lessons, the clothing, and equipment costs.
However, he figures that if Yoru actually does end up picking multiple hobbies, he’ll be able to increase his working hours, so perhaps he’ll make do. He has to.
There is no way in hell he’ll let monetary reasons come between Yoru and hobbies that might help her heal. And if that means that he has to go back to flavorless vitamin jelly instead of home-cooked food (Yoru would definitely still get that), then so be it.
Whatever the case, Yoru managed to lessen her separation anxiety from Shota slowly. Not that you would know, by the way she tightly clutches onto his hand in front of the kindergarten building now.
“You must be Yoru, mhm?” A slightly chubby but friendly looking woman with an inviting smile crouches down in front of the two of them. “I am Mrs. Kubo. We are so happy to have you!”
“Hello.” Yoru presses herself into Shota’s leg. “I’m Yoru.”
“Isn’t that a nice name! It means ‘night’ and even has a similar kanji to ‘compose poetry’. Did you know?”
Yoru shakes her head, still looking down at her feet. “No, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Oh, don’t worry! But isn’t it nice that you know now?”
“I guess? But I don’t really like the night and dark, so, then, I don’t like my name.”
Great.
Shooting a quick glance up towards Shota, Mrs. Kubo slightly frowns. “Oh. Well… that’s okay. But look at you! All fancy and dapper for your first day of kindergarten!” She schools her face instantly, gesturing at Yoru’s get-up of a dark red satin dress over a long-sleeved white shirt and white, cotton tights.
“And I’ve got tattoos!”
“You… what?”
“Look!” Yoru perks up, shuffling up the fabric of her new coat as well as the sleeve of her shirt. She proudly presents the various temporary tattoos she insisted Shota put on her arm the night before.
“Aren’t those nice!”
“Yep, they are- oh that’s Toshi!” Her eyes dart between Shota and her new kindergarten teacher after spotting the Shinso boy making his way towards a little wardrobe area. “Can I go say hello?”
“Ah, one minute, dear. I would like to show you and your Papa around, so both of you know how things work here.”
“Okay, but he’s Daddy, not Papa.”
“Daddy, then.” She stands back up, addressing Shota now. “Excuse me, we didn’t have the opportunity for introductions earlier. You must be Mr. Aizawa. I am Mrs. Kubo. We spoke on the phone a while ago.”
“Pleasure to meet you. Thank you for accepting us.”
“Happy to have you here. Hitoshi has been excited about Yoru joining us ever since she’s been accepted. Both of them are in the giraffe class.”
Mrs. Kubo shows them the kitchen area, the genkan, where the children hang their coats, and where to put their belongings. She shows them around the premises.
“And I think that’s about it!” She puts both hands on her hips and looks down at Yoru with a smile. “I think Hitoshi is in the playroom right now. He really likes the little corner with the books and beanbags. Why don't you say goodbye to your Daddy and join your friend?”
Shota crouches down to Yoru’s eye level, and her hands immediately wrap around him as she buries her face in the crook of his neck. “Daddy, do you really gotta go? Can’t you stay and play with us?”
“I’m sure you’ll have a lot more fun playing with other children than with me.”
“But what if I don’t?”
“I’m sure you will. Now, Sweetheart, I will pick you up later. Should you have any questions, I’m sure Shinso and Mrs. Kubo can help you out.”
She unwraps her arms reluctantly and pouts.
Please, for the love of God, no tears, please, no crying. I don’t think I could take it if she-
“Okay.”
Shota blinks. No tears? Good, that’s good. But why does a small part of him wish that it was a little bit harder for her to say goodbye? Wasn’t that the goal? For her to have an easier time letting go? Why does it slightly sting?
“Okay?”
“Yes. I’ll be strong and good.” A look of pure determination crosses over her face.
“Perfect. You can do it. You have no reason to be shy. Now, off you go. Tell Shinso I said ‘Hi’.”
She nods and leans forward, grabbing the sides of his face in both her hands, and pulls his head towards her, only to put a (unfortunately wet) kiss on his forehead. Something she regularly does to the cats. “I will miss you, Daddy. I love you. Bye!”
And off she goes.
Yeah, I love you, too. Thanks for sticking around long enough for me to tell you.
He sighs and stands back up, only to see the kindergarten teacher with an amused expression on her face. “Oh my, I see that look on all the parents in the beginning. Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll be fine. I know, it’s not easy to let go, but we will take care of your daughter very well.”
He simply nods.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Please record her temperature and notable events from her day in this journal.” She hands him a beige notebook.
How would that even go down?
Dear Diary,
Yesterday, Yoru learned how to punch a grown ass man in the balls as hard as she can, and while said man iced his nether region, she watched a video of a ballet show and imitated the dancer as best to her abilities (none yet). Before bedtime, she cried about the scars she received during a kidnapping at the end of last year.
Her temperature: 37.1 °C.
That’s all for today, see you tomorrow!
Shota thinks it might be time to invest in a jockstrap to protect his groin.
He clears his throat and fishes out Yoru’s bento box from his duffle bag. “Right. Where should I put her lunch?”
“Wow, that’s a big bento box!”
“She needs to eat.”
Yes, she has regained an almost healthy amount of weight, but she’s still on the thin side. Both the Shinsos and he himself had to worry about re-feeding syndrome in the beginning, so they had to take it slow at first.
“Actually, we provide our own meals for the children here. We had some kids have allergic reactions to other children’s lunches in the past before.”
Because, of course, they did.
Wait, he didn’t have Yoru take an allergy test at the doctor yet! What if she is allergic to something they serve here? He needs to look into EpiPens for children and keep anti-histamines at home. What if-
“Sir, are you okay?”
“I don’t know if Yoru has any allergies.”
The chubby woman furrows her neatly plucked eyebrows. “You don’t know if your child has any allergies?”
“She didn’t have any type of reaction to what she had so far. So rice, noodles, and most vegetables seem fine. Dairy and fruits are fine, too. She also has had nuts before and was okay. So those ingredients should be safe. I will schedule an appointment with an allergist as soon as possible.”
“Okay. That’s fine. Should the tests come back positive for anything, please provide us with a list so we can be mindful.”
“I will. Thank you.” Pause. “She doesn’t like fish.”
“No worries. Now, Mr. Aizawa, thank you for trusting us with your daughter.”
You better not fuck it up.
“Thank you for having her.” He slightly bows.
“Of course. Now, that would be all. Have a wonderful day!”
The first thing Shota does as soon as he’s out of sight and on his way back to the car is light a cigarette. He never smokes in front of Yoru and makes sure (or at least hopes so) that she can’t smell it on him. He’s not a regular smoker, after all, his lungs and his stamina need to remain top-notch, but it’s a vice he sometimes indulges in.
When he’s stressed or needs to relax. It’s like a small reward.
Shota feels like he deserves one right now.
Freshly showered after getting back into the ropes (or scarves in his case) with his support item for a couple of hours, Shota arrives in the early afternoon to pick up Yoru from her first day of kindergarten.
She’s putting on her shoes in the genkan as he steps into the hallway of the building. As soon as Yoru sees him, her little face lights up when she runs towards him. “Daddy!”
“How was your first day? Did you have fun?”
A contemplating look washes over her face. “I… don’t know what to think yet.”
“Oh. Okay. How was spending so much time with Shinso?”
“Toshi is nice, as always.”
“Good. Come on, let’s go home.” Yoru quickly grabs the hand that Shota holds out to her. “The ballet teacher called. There’s a spot for you. Do you still want to start ballet?”
“Yes!”
“Alright.”
“How about other dancing? And gymnastics?”
“We can look into it. I’m sure there are plenty of courses and groups for that in Musutafu.”
The second day that Shota picks her up, the response to how her day was is similar to yesterday’s.
“It was not what I thought it would be.”
On the third day, Shota’s worries start to grow even more.
“Toshi and I got a little bit bored.”
The fourth day is the last straw, as Yoru simply walks past Shota’s open arms and walks towards the car on her own accord.
On Friday, he comes in a little bit earlier and watches the children in the playroom. The Shinso boy and Yoru are huddled off in a corner, keeping to themselves and quietly playing with some toy animals.
“Mr. Aizawa! Aren’t you here a little bit early today?”
“Mrs. Kubo.” He nods in her direction. “Tell me, how is Yoru settling in so far?”
“Well…” The woman scratches the back of her neck, turning towards Yoru and Shinso. “She gets along with Hitoshi splendidly. However, with the other kids… I’m afraid her clothes are creating a bit of a problem for her.”
Her clothes? Why?
At Shota’s silence, the kindergarten teacher continues. “Basically, the way she dresses makes her stand out from the others. So, she’s having a little bit of trouble making other friends besides Hitoshi. Does she have any clothes that aren’t quite so fancy? Something she could get dirty in?”
Are you serious? That is the problem?
Shota will never understand kids. When they went shopping at the mall (he still hates to think about that day), he thought it’d be best to have her wear fancy clothes so she wouldn’t have any difficulties making friends. He learned that lesson from seeing how kids at his elementary and middle school were treated. Kids that didn’t have the means to be dressed all neat and tidy in expensive clothing.
And now it’s the other way around?
But if that’s an issue, then it’s no issue at all. If the other children don’t want to play with her in the yard or the sandbox or wherever because they fear she’ll get her clothes dirty, they have plenty of outfits at home that aren’t as fancy.
Easy fix for a big problem. Perfect.
Shota realizes he has yet to answer Mrs. Kubo. “Yes, she has numerous clothes at home that can get dirty. Once she wears those, you think the other children are more open to playing with her?”
“Well, she spends a lot of time with Hitoshi.”
“And?”
The woman sighs. “Hitoshi himself is having a bit of a hard time in that regard. The others don’t really invite him to join them either. And I don’t see Yoru abandoning him and leaving him alone while she goes off to play with the other kids.”
The hell? The Shinso boy is a good kid, what’s wrong now? But she’s correct, Yoru wouldn’t go off to play with the other kids if they wouldn’t include her best (and only?) friend as well.
“Why not?”
“Well… you see, Hitoshi has used his quirk on his classmates twice now. Once a couple of months ago and then again yesterday. I think the other kids are scared of him. There is actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”
Oh boy.
“Okay.”
“Since it involves your daughter, I have no issue in telling you. You see, yesterday a couple of children were making fun of Yoru.”
Brats.
“Why?”
“Because… well, because of her face.”
“What is wrong with her face?”
“The… it was the scars.”
FUCKING BRATS!
Seeing Shota’s face, the woman quickly chimes in. “I wasn’t there when it happened, the children on both sides told me only after. Everybody involved got a stern talking to from me. I informed their parents as well.”
“You better-”
“And I have to inform you, too.” Mrs. Kubo's voice grows more stern. “Yoru hit another child yesterday. Whatever the circumstances, we do not allow that to happen.”
Shota blinks.
“She hit someone?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Some children made fun of her. Called her… well, they called her ‘Scarface'.”
Shota is fuming.
“What the fu- shit- heck?”
“Don’t worry. I talked to them and their parents afterward and explained to them why it was wrong. I also had a talk with Yoru about it. Anyway, Yoru started crying and then Hitoshi came to her defense. He used his quirk on them. I am aware that Yoru and Hitoshi are friends, but I am not sure if you know about Hitoshi’s quirk, it’s-”
“Brainwashing. I am aware. Go on.”
Mrs. Kubo swallows dryly. “Well, Hitoshi used his quirk and told the three children involved to go away and play outside in the sandbox. It's January, might I add. Very cold, indeed.”
Three children at once? Shota is impressed. Moreover, at the boy’s courage to stand up for his friend like that.
The woman continues. “Well, once Hitoshi released his quirk, the children came back inside. Furious, and in my opinion, not completely unfounded. We don’t allow the use of quirks in here. Anyway, Yoru went to the bathroom in the meantime, I suspect to blow her nose and dry her face. When she came back, things escalated.”
Shota scoffs. “Right. Because it didn’t escalate the moment the bullying started.”
“The boys who Hitoshi used his quirk on grabbed a towel and tied it behind his head and around his mouth, so he couldn’t use his quirk on them again. They held down his hands as well, so he couldn’t take the towel off. They also called him a villain.”
“What the fuck?”
“Sir, please. No, swearing.”
“Sorry, not sorry. Are you telling me that those three boys essentially muzzled and gagged Shinso?!”
“Please, calm down. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying here, and the children have already been reprimanded by their parents. Coming back to your daughter, Yoru returned from the bathroom and saw what was happening. She came to Hitoshi’s defense, just like he came earlier to her's. That’s when the hitting started.”
Yes, Shota should be mad. And he is. Mostly at those god-damned bullies. Don’t get him wrong, he is not a fan of Yoru hitting other people, but then again, both of the kids stood up for each other, and he is proud of that.
However, he should definitely talk to Yoru about using her developing skills, in what can only be described as hand-to-hand combat for toddlers, on other children like that.
“Sir, why are you smiling? This is highly inappropriate.”
“Agreed.”
The woman sighs. “She told them to stop and then hit the boy holding back Hitoshi’s hands so he could free himself from the towel. When the yelling and crying started, I rushed in and broke up the fight. I had a talk with everyone individually and their retelling of the stories is the same, so at least nobody is lying. However, I must ask you to talk to your daughter about hitting people. It is not okay, and we won’t tolerate it, no matter the circumstances. I know what you want to say, I went over this with the other parents as well. Nobody behaved as they should yesterday. Children can be cruel sometimes and teasing and bullying are not okay, but neither is quirk-use in here nor hitting. She hit the boy holding back Hitoshi on the back of his elbow, and it must have hurt quite a lot. He started crying.”
First of all, boohoo, fucking brat deserved it, in Shota’s book. Second of all, good. Yoru remembered that the ulnar nerve on the funny bone was a good target.
His mind is torn between ‘Good Yoru’ and ‘Bad Yoru’.
Shota ends up sighing. “I will talk to her.”
Sighing herself, Mrs. Kubo seems relieved he didn’t pull the classic ‘My kid wouldn’t do something like that!’ or the other ‘My kid got in a fight? Did she win?’. “Good. Thank you.”
Talking about what had happened over dinner goes better than expected. For both of them.
While they do the dishes together and during bath time, they listen to Hizashi’s live radio show, and Yoru’s mood seems slightly lifted, if her joining in on some of the songs is anything to go by.
And when he tugs Yoru in that evening after singing her her lullaby, Shota thinks that the both of them are doing a good job so far at being father and daughter.
And for the first time in a long time, he’s convinced that everything will be alright.
A couple of months later, Yoru starts secretly calling into Hizashi’s radio show regularly, resulting in a near nationwide phenomenon of countless people becoming fans of the adorable ‘Ooga-Chaka-Girl’ (courtesy of her favorite song, actually called ‘Hooked on a Feeling’).
When Yoru is five, she starts dancing classes besides gymnastics and ballet, as well as learning how to play the guitar and making up her own nonsense songs.
Yoru is five and a half when Hizashi enters the apartment to find an inconsolable Yoru and a desperate Shota. Yoru found a picture of Shota, Nemuri, and Hizashi from his 18th birthday and was sad that she hadn’t been invited.
When Yoru is six, she no longer has to go to therapy and starts elementary school together with the Shinso boy.
When Yoru is seven, she makes a ‘World’s Best Dad’ coffee cup in school for Father's Day. It’s Shota’s most prized possession.
When Yoru is eight, she asks Shota to train her in the ‘shadow holes’ because she doesn’t want to hurt anybody ever again (thanks to therapy, she has processed being responsible for the death of two of her kidnappers as much as a child can).
When she is eight and a half, she remarks that Shota eating canned food (Yoru still gets real, home-cooked food, but money is tight, so he saves some by eating cheaper food) reminds her of the back alley.
That year, Shota starts teaching at U.A.
When Yoru is nine, she watches recordings from the U.A. sports festival from Shota’s first year at his old school, and now workplace, and sees Oboro fighting with his bostaff.
It’s a good thing they have a bit more money now because replacing broken items in their apartment is costly when Yoru picks up yet another hobby.
When Yoru is ten, they have enough money to move. It’s an old loft and the plumbing doesn’t always work properly, but it’s home.
When Yoru is eleven, her parents are officially pronounced ‘Presumed Dead’.
When Yoru is twelve, they start the new tradition of cutting each other’s hair (only the ends) during movie night.
When Yoru is thirteen, she starts attending middle school. Again, with Shinso.
When Yoru is fourteen, she slams the bathroom door shut in Shota’s face when she has her period for the first time. He calls Nemuri.
When Yoru is fifteen, Shota sits on the balcony one evening when Yoru informs him that she wants to go to U.A.
When Shota hears that, he looks at the cherry tree and thinks back to how small it was eleven years ago.