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"he's getting too big for me to hug all his problems away, hizashi."
shouta was probably on the phone. his voice was hushed, likely not to disturb izuku who was meant to be asleep, but izuku heard it all the same. he had woken up to get some water. a spark of joy lit up in his chest when he realized his dad would be home from patrol at this hour, as he padded down the hallway, only to stop in his tracks at his dad's voice.
"i can't be his hero forever."
izuku felt something in his chest twist painfully but somehow stopped himself from outwardly reacting. his hand flew to cover his mouth as his breathing laboured into short quickened breaths. quietly, he creeps back to his room. he managed to shut his bedroom door without so much as a click before his knees gave out and he fell to the floor with a silent thud. his head was racing with so many thoughts that he felt his ears ring.
what did shouta mean? did things have to change? why? did the way parents care changed as kids grew up? will he have to give up certain comforts he has grown used to as he gets older?
he didn't know. he has never had parents that cared like shouta did.
shouta taking him in opened up a whole new world for izuku. he never had an adult he could trust like he did shouta. when he saved him from the hell that was his life at the orphanage, bouncing from one bad home to another, he was his hero.
and then he became more.
izuku didn't know what to expect when his homeroom teacher took guardianship over him, but it certainly wasn't anything beyond a roof over his head and three meals a day.
shouta proved him wrong.
yes, he had his own room in the apartment he lived in with his teacher and he no longer had to worry about going hungry for days if he was unlucky, but shouta also provided him with what the man told him was 'what parents do'.
at first, he had been nervous about living with his strict homeroom teacher, but shouta was quick to set boundaries to separate their time between school and home.
at home, shouta's tough exterior seemed to dissipate into thin air, revealing something much softer underneath. he was still blunt and gruff but izuku quickly learnt that his now foster father was simply clumsy with emotions. notably though, that did not stop him feom providing izuku with the 'parental support' he claims all kids need to not 'grow up emotionally stunted like he was'.
izuku had been apprehensive at first, unsure of what to expect but shouta easily- almost insultingly easily- broke down his walls. they found out together that izuku was unsurprisingly (for shouta at leats) touch starved and the new parent was more than willing to learn how to provide the comfort izuku needed despite his shortcomings.
the anxious teen had tried to insist he was fine, that shouta did not need to make himself uncomfortable trying to cater to his emotional cravings but he was quickly shut down with a stern look and a gentle scolding that he needed what he needed, and whatever that may be it was shouta's job as a parent to povide it to the best of his abilities.
it started with head pats and open praise, continuous reassurance that he would always be there to support and help him through absolutely anything. promises that his place in this home was not conditional and izuku was allowed to be the child that he is, was allowed to make mistakes. he learnt that where shouta lacked in expressing himself with words, he made up in gestures of physical affection and endearingly cheesy nicknames that warms his heart.
every accomplishment he brought home would be met with supportive praise and whatever small means of celebration. As on his tests earned him a trip to his favourite katsudon place on top of the approving smile he'd receive in class. productive patrols would end with a ruffle of his hair and a quiet but no less proud 'good job, kid'.
izuku remembered the day he successfully pulled off a move he had been trying to perfect for months, the thrill and excitement that course through his entire being as he spun to meet his foster father's proud gaze and the small smile that tugged on his lips. he had bound over to his mentor, adrenaline still buzzing through his veins, not thinking about it as he threw his arms around the man in a giddy hug. he froze the moment his mind caught up with his actions but shouta gave him no time to react, his own arms gently but firmly going around the teen to return the embrace.
"i'm so proud of you, izuku," he'd whispered with a squeeze to the smaller body in his hold and izuku felt his heart stutter. it was just about training, but it felt like it meant so much more.
easy physical affection only grew more common since then. izuku learnt to open up more, allowing himself to truly be a child. he let himself cry, knowing shouta would never reprimand him for it, if not encourage him to let himself feel whatever he needed to feel and help him work through it. he let himself be needy for the affection he was hungry for, learning to ask for hugs and cuddles on particularly bad days and on days he just felt like it. he grew more sassy, unafraid to tease his foster dad playfully and pout at him for attention.
and shouta could never be more proud for him through it all.
when shouta had adopted him, izuku had never been so happy with how his life turned out to become. he was so, so happy with how everything was.
but if things had to change-
he wasn't ready.
he didn't know the last time he clung onto shouta would truly be the last. he didn't know there was a time limit to the hugs and soft touches and hair ruffles he has grown accustomed to receiving. he didn't know it had to end one day.
and he didn't know that day would be today.
it felt silly, to be so upset over something so trivial. but couldn't help how he felt his heart break, painfully, so painfully at the thought that a sob tore out of his throat. and just like that, the floodgates burst open and he was crying uncontrollably, no longer able to maintain the silence of night.
he loved shouta. so, so much. he loved shouta's clumsy affection and awkwardly spoken fondness that had yet to grow natural. he loved that despite them, because of them, and shouta so readily loved him back with everything he was able to convey. he loved the way shouta showed his love and he wasn't ready to live without it.
he'd only just grown used having his dad. why did it have to change already?
it hurt.
he clutched a hand to his chest, silently pleading for the hurting to stop, as he continued to cry. he didn't hear the footsteps approaching his bedroom, didn't notice his door open.
"izuku?"
the familiar voice ripped a pained gasp from izuku and he could hear his dad rushing over.
"hey, hey, what's wrong? what happened? are you hurt?" shouta's words were rushed with worry and concern at the sight of his son. his hands hovered, his eyes frantically looking over his son, assessing the situation, wanting nothing more than to scoop his kid up into his arms but unsure on whether it was okay.
unfortunately for him, having izuku see his dad hesitate on touching him had his son wailing all the much louder, something in his chest hurting so, so much.
"izuku, hey, shh. you're okay, bubba. i'm here, yeah? it's okay. can i touch you, hun?"
"please?" the green-haired boy pleaded between sobs almost desperately. "please, d-dad, please pl-" that was all the permission shouta needed to scoop his kid into his arms, cradling him protectively.
"okay. okay. no need to cry about it, honey," he crooned, bouncing the trembling kid in his hold lightly, doing his best to calm him down. izuku's hands immediately went around his neck to clutch onto his shirt in a death grip. he let his dad pick him up as he shook.
shouta has never felt so frazzled in his life, his mind rushing through all the possibilities of what could have happened that led them here. was it a nightmare? did izuku get hurt? was he hiding an injury from him? how could he have not noticed? had someone said something, done something to his son-
a small whimper from the child in his arms snapped the hero out of his thoughts. those could wait. he had to make sure his son, his baby was okay. everything else could wait.
resolutely focusing all his effort into comforting his kid, shouta took to lightly bouncing the still sobbing teen like an infant, muttering soothing sweet nothings as he swayed.
no need to cry, love. i'm here, baby. dad's here. you're okay. you're okay.
he kept up the constant stream of comfort until he felt izuku's breath even out to a relatively steady rhythm that no longer hurt his heart to listen to.
"you ready to tell me what happened, bubba?"
"y-you said-" "you said you couldn't hug me anymore. said i was getting too big. said you couldn't be my hero anymore," his voice quivering at the end, breaking just as his heart felt. "i d-didn't know. i didn't know you'd have to stop. i don't want that-"
"oh, izu," shouta spoke, sounding absolutely heartbroken for his hurting kid. "oh, honey, no. i didn't mean it like that at all."
"b-but you said-" izuku interrupted himself with a pained whine and shouta lightly squeezed the small body in his hold, hushing softly as he collected his thoughts.
"i was just-" shouta cut himself off, frustrated and desperately struggling to find the words to explain himself. "you're a teen now and.. most teenagers usually don't want their parents to.. coddle them. they grow up, grow distant. they want their own space."
"but i don't want you to stop," izuku warbled in distress, tears welling up in his eyes just at the mere thought of his dad putting any sort of distance between them.
"then, i won't," shouta responded quickly. "that's completely fine. really, honey, i was just getting sentimental in my old age."
"i was just talking to hizashi about how quickly you were growing up. how you wouldn't need me forever. it made me sad." shouta confessed softly, gently pushing back soft green curls to meet wide, watery emerald eyes.
"but i do need you," izuku's voice was small. he swallowed down the tightness in his throat, trying his best not to start crying again. "i always need you."
shouta let out a quiet sigh, running his hand through izuku's hair as he looked over his son fondly.
he won't. if he knew anything about the green-haired teen clinging onto him, it was that izuku was strong. even beyond his quirk, izuku was strong and brave and he would only grow stronger. he was already stronger than shouta was, even if he didn't know it.
but he decided it was not an argument the needs to happen now. he'd only just got the boy to stop crying after all.
"alright," he relented softly. "you're stuck with me then, sweetheart."
"promise?"
"i promise." he said it like he meant it with his whole being. and he did.
"i'll keep you hostage and you'll be my baby forever and ever, hm?" he teased, trying to lighten the mood. "never let you leave the nest so i can have you all to myself."
izuku huffed out a light laugh at his efforts, though it was still wetter than shouta would've liked. he paid it no mind, not doubting the kid had cried himself to exhaustion and started humming a familiar tune, swaying slightly.
he only stopped when he felt izuku's weight slump over his shoulder, his breathing evening out as the kid fell asleep. careful not to jostle him, shouta carried izuku back to his bedroom. he tried laying the kid down tenderly, huffing a quiet laugh at izuku's tight grip on his shirt before carefully climbing in next to the kid, accepting his fate of having a clingy limpet stuck to him for the night- probably for the rest of tomorrow too.
he ran a gentle hand through unruly green hair as he looked at his kid fondly while letting sleep slowly take over.
"i'll be here for as long as you want, my heart."