Chapter Text
For Inko Midoriya, life was simple but kind.
She'd recently given birth to a healthy, beautiful baby boy, she and her husband had recently managed to buy their own home in a lovely little neighborhood, and they were making decent money. While her husband taking that overseas position in America was hardly ideal, it was nothing to get too worked up about. He'd assured her that it would only be for six months and then he'd be back home, though. Between that promise, daily video calls, and the support of her friends like Mitsuki? Six months would pass in the blink of an eye.
Laughter escaped her lips as she stepped out of the pharmacy and onto the busy streets of the city. People passed by her without paying her any mind.
"It's fine, dear. I only ran out for a few minutes. Mitsuki is watching Izuku for me until I get back. Just one of the benefits of living so close to a friend." She assured her husband.
A despairing sigh met her ears over the phone. "I know… it just feels wrong. If I were there, you wouldn't have to be running out like this. You could just leave it to me!"
"Hisashi, it's fine. It's not like you're just lazing around the house all day. It's thanks to you that Izuku is going to have such a nice home to grow up in." She frowned. "Hold on… what time is it where you are?"
Even without being able to see him, she could practically feel him cringing at her question. "Uh… I'm not sure I should say?"
Her smile took a sharp downward turn, eyes narrowing into slits. "Hisashi…."
"Okay, fine! It's 3 AM!"
A gasp. "Hisashi! Why are you up so late!? You need your sleep!"
"I just missed you. I needed to hear your voice, is all…." He trailed off. "You're right. I should probably go."
She sighed. The time difference between Japan and the US was a big hurdle, but not something she wanted her husband to kill himself over. It'd only be a few months more until his return.
"Just take care of yourself, please. This is hard on both of us, but it'll be for the best!" Her smile returned in full force. "When you get back, we'll make up for lost time."
"I'm looking forward to it… Good night, dear."
"Good night, love."
Once the call ended, Inko tucked away her phone and continued her way down the road. Occasionally, she'd stop and stare as a hero patrolled the streets or darted off to deal with some disturbance caused by a low-level villain. She couldn't linger for long, though.
She didn't want to take advantage of Mitsuki's generosity too much.
As she got a few blocks away from the pharmacy, though, there was a shift in the air. A tenseness that hadn't been there a few moments before. The people around her wore forced smiles and kept their eyes either on the ground or the sky. They moved with a sense of urgency that Inko almost might have mistaken for fear.
But there was no reason for any of them to be afraid. There weren't any villains attacking or some grand disaster spiraling out of control. If there had been, she doubted the people around her would have focused so much on trying to maintain a façade of normalcy.
That was when she spotted him.
Propped up against the wall of a flower boutique and shrouded in the shadows of its overhang was a young boy. As she drew closer, she saw that his hair – though matted with dirt and dust of some kind – was a pale shade of light blue. His clothes might once have been a nice pair of blue jeans and a black collared shirt, but dirt and grime had ruined them.
The next thing she noticed was the stench. It was foul in a way she'd never encountered before. She recognized the smell of dirt and trash easily enough, but there was something else beneath all that. It left her scrunching her nose, not that it did much.
An orphan… was he why everyone on the street had been acting so strangely? Why, even now, were people avoiding walking by the store or looking in the same direction? Surely not!
…right?
The boy's head hung low, obscuring his face behind his hair. Yet even so, he visibly tensed up as she drew near.
Inko crouched down in front of him, smiling. "Hey there… are you alright? Where are your parents?"
The boy didn't say anything. He looked up at her, his hair falling away from his face and allowing the light to shine on it for the first time.
A gasp tore itself from her lips, and she stumbled back. Her eyes were wide, and her heart hammered in her chest as she stared down at the child before her… a child covered in blood. Blood so old that it had started to resemble rust. Yet mixed within that brown was fresh, ruby red ichor dropping from his lips and open wounds on his forehead.
All while vacant, haunted eyes stared past her. As if he didn't really see her.
A part of her – small and scared – wanted to run. Surely, someone else would help the boy. Someone more qualified, like a hero or a police officer!
That part was quickly stamped out. No one else was helping the boy. Everyone actively avoiding him and pretending he didn't exist made that clear. She couldn't do that.
If it were her son, she knew she'd want someone to reach out and help.
Steadying her heart and taking a deep breath, she forced her smile back on her face. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me just then." She hoped he believed her… but something in her gut told her that was a pointless hope. "My name's Inko Midoriya. What's yours?"
He just continued to stare at her, mute as the wind.
No luck there… alright. Time to get creative.
"You must be hungry." It wasn't a difficult thing to figure out. If he were in this state, then that meant he had no one to look after him. It could have been days since he'd last eaten! "Do you like chocolate?"
He blinked… then slowly nodded.
Progress!
Allowing her smile to relax just a little bit, she reached into her purse and dug around to the bottom. It was a little secret of hers, but she always kept a few sweets on her. You never knew when the cravings would hit!
She plucked a chocolate bar from the bag and held it aloft. "Aha! Here you go! Eat up!"
She held it out towards him, watching with anticipation as his hand slowly rose to take it from her. When his fingers closed around the other end, though, it quickly crumbled to dust and blew away in the wind.
Her mouth hung agape, shocked at what she'd just seen.
The boy, though… for the first time since he'd shown his face, something flickered behind her eyes. Shame. He turned his head back down, obscuring himself behind his hair and bringing his knees up to his chest.
"… 'm sorry." He mumbled so quietly that she would have missed it if she hadn't been so close.
Her mouth closed, morphing into a frown. "Sorry? You don't have to apologize. I have more where that came from." More than she was proud to admit. "Was that your Quirk?"
He didn't say anything, but he did nod.
"That's an impressive Quirk. I'll bet it makes eating really difficult, though." She prodded. "You can't turn it off, huh?"
He shrugged uselessly, still not able to meet her eyes again.
She stood up, furrowing her brow in thought and tapping her chin. Think, Inko, think! The boy needed a lot of things, but chief among them was the ability to eat! The candy hadn't started to disintegrate until he'd gotten his whole hand on it… so did that mean full contact was needed for his Quirk to work? He said he couldn't control it, and she doubted he'd lie about this.
Ugh, this would be so much easier if she were a Quirk Analyst. If one of them were here, they'd have figured out the problem by now and how to fix it!
She sighed, looking up to the sky as if the answer would fall into her lap.
And in a way, it did. The sign of the flower boutique stared back at her. An idea wormed its way into her head. It was a long shot, but it was also the best and only idea she had. If it failed? Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Nodding to herself, she looked down at the boy. "I'm going to go into this store for a few minutes. Can you promise to stay here and not wander off? I'll be right back. I promise."
Silence was her answer.
It would have to do. If he did run off, she'd just have to find a hero and hope they took her concerns seriously. They'd probably be better equipped to handle this anyway.
Hurrying into the flower shop, she stepped past the aisles of flowers and straight towards the bewildered cashier. They wore a polite, if tired, service smile as she approached. "Can I help you, miss?"
"Do you happen to have a pair of gloves?" She asked.
The cashier blinked. "Uh… yes? I mean, we've got a couple of pairs in the back for the employees. But they're not for sale. Sorry."
"Please!" She cupped her hands in front of her, bowing her head low. "It's very important that I have a pair! I'll pay whatever you want!"
The cashier shifted, eyes glancing towards the back door. "I'm not sure why you're this desperate for a pair of gloves, but… okay. I'll go get some. Just wait here."
She cheered internally, resisting the urge to pump her fist in the air. When they returned with their gloves, she carefully took them. "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you need this for something important."
"Like you wouldn't believe."
They smiled. "Then it's no trouble. Consider them on the house. Just remember us the next time you're in the mood to buy some flowers!"
"I'll only do my shopping here from now on, I can promise you that!" She said. "Before I go, do you mind cutting off the tip of one finger on each of the gloves?"
"… you've got to be the strangest customer I've ever had who isn't a hero." They took the gloves from her again, pulling a pair of scissors out from beneath the counter and quickly doing as she asked. They plucked a single flower from a display bouquet, holding it and the gloves out to her.
"A gift. Nobody should leave a store like this without at least one flower on them." They explained. "Take care, ma'am!"
She laughed, waving at them as she left. "I will. Thank you so much for your generosity."
When she left the store, she almost feared that the boy would be gone. To her relief, however, he was right where she left him. She crouched down in front of him again, holding up the gloves and the flower with a warm smile. "Tada! One pair of gloves! And a pretty flower for a gallant knight in the waiting!"
He blinked at her – as if he was surprised she'd come back. With how many people had probably walked by him today alone, she wouldn't hold it against him. "Gloves?" He muttered.
"So you can eat." She reminded him. "Your Quirk destroys whatever touches your hands, so I'm hoping that the gloves will let you eat!"
He eyed them for a moment, reaching up to scratch his neck. "Won't I destroy them when I put them on?"
"That's why I cut off one of the fingers." She proudly declared. "This should keep them from being destroyed, too!"
At least, she hoped it did. She didn't really have a plan B here, short of feeding the boy by hand.
He glanced away. "I don't think this will work…."
"We won't know unless we try." She held out the floor. "That's why we're going to test it with this. Take it, but use only two fingers for now. Then keep adding them until it starts to fade, okay?"
He didn't appear entirely convinced. Despite this, he still reached out and took the flower from her. As she'd suspected, two fingers weren't enough to activate his Quirk. It wasn't until all five of them were touching it at the same time that it turned to dust and fell away from his hand.
Inko let out a satisfied huff. This Quirk Analyst thing wasn't so tough. Maybe she'd missed a calling? "There we go! Now we know your Quirk's limits. So, let's get those gloves on."
The boy looked between the gloves and his hands, biting the corner of his lip and shuffling back. "I don't know how to do it without… You know."
Without disintegrating the gloves, he meant. That was okay. He was young and afraid. Most adults would struggle in this position. Inko held up her hand for him to see, balling it up into a fist and placing her four fingers over her thumb.
Once he'd copied her, she raised the corresponding glove and pulled its opening wide so that he could fit his hand inside. The hardest part for her was holding her breath as he spread each of his fingers out one at a time until they each found their socket.
When they didn't immediately start to decay into nothing once he had them both on, she allowed herself a tiny smile. One that only grew after she gave him another chocolate bar and watched him devour it with the same eagerness any kid would.
So innocent….
"Hey, I want you to come with me." She said, "There's a place that can help you. They'll give you some medicine and plenty more food. Maybe even help find your parents."
He froze, his face buried in the empty wrapper while trying to lick it clean. His eyes snapped shut, and he retreated against the wall, legs coming up against his chest again. All while both hands started to scratch and claw at his skin. Even with the gloves acting as a barrier between his nails and flesh, he pressed down hard enough with each scrape of his hand that it created bright red welts where he was scratching.
"It's alright! I promise, nobody is going to hurt you!" Her hands came down on his shoulders. His body was tense and ramrod straight, but when his eyes met hers? All she saw was a scared little boy. "I just want to help you."
"… are you a hero?" He asked.
She laughed, shaking her head. "Hardly. I'm just someone who was passing by and saw you needed some help. I'm doing what anyone would- what anyone should do. Nothing more."
He didn't understand. That was okay. She could feel the tension leaving his body, and that was all she wanted. A frightened boy wouldn't go anywhere – least of all a hospital.
"Come on." She slowly got the two of them to their feet, offering a silent apology to Mitsuki. She was gonna be home late tonight. Inko's motherly instincts told her to take his hand in hers, but she thought better of it. He was clearly still afraid of his Quirk and what it could do. She didn't want to push him and risk scaring him off.
"Let's get going."
The two started down the street toward the hospital after that. She made sure to keep a steady pace and walk at his side, always keeping him in her sight. While he was noticeably slow and unsteady on his feet, he didn't seem afraid of following her.
Baby steps.
They'd made it down the street and come to a stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the lights to turn green and the cars to give them a chance to cross. The boy shifted at her side, idly scratching his neck.
"…ko." She heard him mutter.
Inko blinked, looking down at him. "I didn't quite catch that. What did you say?"
"… Tenko." He repeated, louder this time. "My name is Tenko."
Her smile brightened. Before she could stop herself, she reached out and ruffled his head. "It's nice to meet you, Tenko. What a handsome name."
The cars came to a stop, and the lights signaled for them to walk. As the two of them crossed the road, she felt a hand – dusty and rough – take hold of her fingers and a small body huddle close to her legs.
She didn't look down or say anything. All she did was squeeze his hand in hers and make a silent promise.
"Everything's going to be okay, Tenko. I promise."
"Mrs. Midoriya? Do you have a moment to talk?"
Inko looked up at the doctor who'd gotten her attention. It'd been an hour since she and Tenko had arrived at the nearest hospital. The sun had nearly set by now, and here she was, sitting on a bench in their lobby. They'd taken him off her hands after that and rushed off to… well, wherever it was they took orphan kids who'd been on the streets by themselves for days.
By every known metric, Inko had done everything she was supposed to. She'd found a child in need, fed them, soothed them, and brought them to people who could help. She was well within her rights to pat herself on the back and walk away without regret. The people here would be more than capable of looking after him.
And yet… There was a piece of her that wouldn't let her do it. A small voice in the back of her head that nagged at her whenever she thought of leaving. She had to stick around and make sure he was alright.
It was just peace of mind.
"Of course." She nodded, pushing herself to her feet. "What can I do for you, doctor? Is Tenko alright?"
"As much as a kid in his situation can be. It's good that you brought him in when you did. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything in days." The doctor gestured for her to take a seat again, doing the same themselves. "I'm glad you stuck around. There are a few questions I wanted to ask you."
"What kind of questions?" She asked. "I only met him a few hours ago. I'm not sure what I could tell you that would be helpful."
"It won't hurt to try. Now, earlier, you told us that his Quirk let him turn anything he touched to dust. Thank you for that, by the way. It helped us prevent any tragic accidents while we looked him over." He said, "May I ask how you knew that, though? The nurses didn't say."
"When I found him, I noticed he looked hungry. I tried giving him some chocolate to perk him up and… well, then it turned to dust in his hands. That's why I had to get him the gloves." She explained.
"I see. And you say that you have no connection to him at all? You just found him on the side of the road?" The doctor asked.
She nodded. "That's right. I only met him a few hours ago. Why?"
"Well, most people would have left by now." They told her. "We occasionally get people bringing children they find on the streets here, but they leave once they do. They feel their job is done… mostly because it is. I'm curious what makes it any different for you?"
She sighed, twiddling her fingers in her lap. "I don't know… I guess I feel responsible for him. He doesn't seem to have anyone else, so it'd feel wrong to just drop him off and leave without making sure he's going to be alright."
The doctor chuckled. "Normally, I'd expect to hear a line like that out of a hero."
She flushed bright red, waving her hands back and forth. "H-hero!? No no no no! I think you're exaggerating a little."
They rolled their eyes. "Anyway, I am glad you're still here. There's a problem we think you might be able to help with."
She tensed up. "Problem?"
"Nothing bad. At least, nothing that we weren't prepared for with cases like his." He waited for her to release the breath she'd been holding before continuing. "It's just that he's been retreating into himself whenever one of us comes to check on him. He hasn't lashed out or anything, but it's clear how uncomfortable he is."
"Is there anything you can do?" She asked.
"Beyond giving him time to adjust and trust us? No. We don't want to scare him by forcing anything, especially not with his Quirk." The doctor explained. "You, though… You might be able to help us make some progress. If you're willing."
"Of course! I'm not sure what I can do that you can't, but I'm happy to help however I can!" Inko said.
"It's not so much what you can do as who you are. He trusts you. He's constantly looking towards the doors and windows to see if you're there, and he's asked the staff multiple times if you're still here." They sighed. "Given what he's been through, it's understandable that he might have some abandonment issues."
"I can see how that might be a problem, but I'm not sure what you think I can do about it?" She asked.
"Would you mind speaking with him? Maybe even coming back to see him again?" The doctor asked. "Not indefinitely, of course. It would only be for a week or two. Just until he gets more comfortable with the rest of the staff and opens up to us a bit more."
It was a strange request. Inko wasn't very knowledgeable about the medical system, but even she knew that it wasn't commonplace to loop strangers found on the side of the road into the treatment plan.
Even if that stranger is the one who saved them.
"If you think it'll help. There won't be any problems with you letting me do this, though, will there?" She asked.
They shook their head. "Not at all. While it's far from common practice, children in Tenko's situation always latch onto the first person they feel they can trust. They eventually grow past it, but that takes time. Keeping good Samaritans like yourself in the loop in the beginning helps prevent any setbacks to recovery."
Oh. That made sense.
"If you'll please follow me."
The doctor led her further into the hospital towards the children's wing, past the rooms full of exhausted staff waiting for their shifts to end and patients enduring their treatments. When they reached the children's wing, Inko was relieved to see that there weren't many there. The few that were seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
Inko knew how important hospitals were, and she respected the people who worked so hard to heal those who were forced to go to them. But as she walked through the halls of the children's ward, she couldn't help but hope she never had to come back here. The thought of any child being so hurt that they needed to be hospitalized made her sick.
She'd work hard to make sure Izuku would never have to visit a place like this as he grew up. And really, she was probably worrying over nothing. Izuku was a healthy baby, and all signs pointed to that holding true for the rest of his life.
Inko doubted she'd ever have to worry about him like this.
"He's in here." The doctor said once they came to a stop outside one of the private rooms. "Remember, you're just trying to reassure him that he can trust us and that you'll see him again tomorrow. Don't worry about making any big promises."
With a restrained nod, she stepped past the man and into the room. While she quietly shut the door behind her, she spotted Tenko sitting up in his hospital bed – still in the same raggedy clothes she'd found him in earlier that day. Atop the dresser next to the bed lay an ordinary hospital gown, still folded up and unused.
His head lifted reluctantly, hair falling away from his eyes. He sat up just a tiny bit straighter when he realized it was her, his gray eyes widening just a little.
Her hand shot up, waving at him with a calming smile. "Hello, Tenko. I thought I'd come check up on you."
"You're still here…." He trailed off.
As if he thought she'd have left by now.
"Of course I am!" She chuckled. "The doctors said they were done with you for the moment, so I thought I'd come check on you."
Tenko didn't say anything, but he did smile—just a smidge.
She took a seat on the bed about a foot or two away from him. "How are you feeling? Any better than earlier?"
He nodded. "Yeah… they gave me some food."
"Any good?"
Tenko shook his head. "Not as much as the chocolate…."
Well, that went without saying! Chocolate was one of the greatest things on earth! She was pretty sure she'd even heard of some old religion in the West, calling it a gift from the gods. Compared to that kind of lineage, hospital food was always gonna come up short!
"I'm glad you're eating. You need it if you're going to get big and strong, you know." She said. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to be leaving now."
He flinched. "Where are you going? Can I come with you?"
"It's getting late, so I'm going back home now." She told him. "I'm sorry, but you have to stay here for now. Until you get better, the hospital is the best place for you. And the doctors here are so kind, I can trust them to take good care of you while I'm gone."
Tenko stared down at his lap, gloved hands tightening into little fists. "Oh… okay."
"Actually, that's one of the reasons I came by to check on you. If you're okay with it, I'd like to come by tomorrow and see you again." Inko said.
His head snapped up, gray eyes wide with surprise and hope.
Her heart tightened.
"Really?" Tenko asked. "You'll come back?"
She nodded, her smile wide. She reached down to ruffle his hair, and it was a testament to how desperate Tenko was for her attention that he didn't throw a fit like most kids would if an adult messed with their hair.
"Of course I will." She assured him. "As long as you're okay with it-"
He bobbed his head up and down frantically. "Yes! Yes, I'm okay with it!"
Inko chuckled. "Then I'll be back tomorrow. I'll come back as often as you want me to." She patted his gloved hands. "But you have to promise to be good for the doctors. Do what they say and let them take care of you. Okay?"
"I will! I promise!"
"Good. Then I'd better get going." Inko stood up, placing a hand over her heart and bowing. "Good night, Tenko. I'll see you again soon."
Tenko clumsily tried to mimic her movements, placing one hand on his chest and bowing. Just as Inko turned to leave, she heard tiny feet hitting the ground. She glanced back to see Tenko reaching up on his tiptoes to grab the hospital gown from the dresser, then walked towards the bathroom to get changed.
Inko let out a huff of amusement, shaking her head.
What a good boy.
So how had his life turned out like this?
"Sounds like you've had a rough day."
Inko sighed, leaning back in her chair. After she'd left the hospital, she'd made a beeline straight back to Mitsuki's. The sun had only just set by the time she arrived, and now she was sitting in her old friend's dining room, nursing a glass of water and a mild headache. Both their sons were mercifully sound asleep in the other room, giving them some time to talk in peace.
"It's more than I expected when I woke up this morning, that's for sure." She replied. "I know I said it before, but thank you for looking after Izuku while I was away. I know it was longer than I said it would be."
Mitsuki waved her off. "Don't even mention it, Inko. You were helping a kid in need. I'd have to be a pretty piss poor excuse of a person to complain about you staying out late for that."
"Still, it can't have been easy looking after two babies by yourself all day." Inko bowed her head, clasping her hands in front of her. "I'll do whatever I can to pay you back in the future. Whatever you need- "
"Are you free next Sunday night?" Mitsuki immediately interrupted.
Inko blinked. "Uh… yes? Why? Do you need me to watch Katsuki for you?"
"Please." Mitsuki darted forward, taking Inko's hands in hers and falling to her knees. "It's been months since Masaru and I have had any time alone! I haven't had a proper night's sleep in so long! I've forgotten what it's like not having to worry about a baby 24/7! God, I haven't had sex in- "
"I get it!" Inko squeaked, face flushing bright red as her eyes looked everywhere except her old friend's begging face.
And really, she did. She loved Izuku – really, she did! – but that didn't mean there weren't things she missed. Full night's sleep, shirts that could stay clean for more than a few hours… and the sex, of course.
At least Mitsuki's husband wasn't an entire ocean away, damn it!
"I-I'll look after Katsuki for you. No problem at all." She laughed nervously. "It really is the least I can do."
Even if that meant she'd be giving up her night. Two babies at once? She was already saying goodbye to the precious few hours of sleep she did get.
Mitsuki leaped to her feet, pumping her fist in the air and cheering. A very tame cheer, only a hair louder than their normal volume. She didn't want to wake the babies, after all. If she had, Mitsuki probably would have caved in the opposing wall with her skull out of sheer frustration… and Inko would have let her.
It was the one unspoken rule that every parent shared: Do not wake the sleeping baby, lest hell be unleashed.
"Thanks, Inko. You're a true friend." She sat back down in her chair, leaning her arm on the table. "Back to you, though. You going to follow through on your promise to go to the hospital to visit this kid?"
"I have to," Inko replied. "He's in a delicate place right now. If visiting him for a few days can help, then there's no reason I shouldn't. I hate to ask, but- "
Mitsuki held up a hand to wave her off. "Don't worry about it. Just let me know when you're thinking of heading off, and I'll look after Izuku for you. You can pay me back whenever the hubby and I need some time to ourselves."
"Of course!" She swiftly nodded. "Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you right now."
"It's really not as much trouble as you think. Izuku and Katsuki almost seem to calm around one another when I put them together." Mitsuki chuckled. "Seems like our sons will be taking after their ma's."
Really? Well, that was good to know. Maybe she'd be able to get an hour or two of sleep after all!
"That's good." As her mind drifted back to Tenko and the hospital, Inko sighed and took another sip from her glass. "I just don't understand how he could have ended up like that."
Mitsuki frowned. "He didn't tell you anything?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. Even if he's attached to me like the doctors say, that doesn't mean he trusts me enough to tell me what happened to him. I can take a few guesses, though…."
"You thinking it might be related to his Quirk?" Mitsuki asked.
Inko nodded. "Yeah… he turns whatever he touches to dust. He didn't know how it worked or how to control it, so it's obvious he only unlocked it recently."
"You think he might have hurt his family when it woke up?" Mitsuki asked, an edge of alarm tinging her voice.
"I don't know. Maybe. Or maybe they found out what he could do and got rid of him." She scrunched up her face in disgust, balling her skirt up in her fist. "You and I both know how people can be about 'villainous' Quirks."
Before she'd chosen to settle down with Hisashi and start a family, Inko had been a social worker. She'd bounced around from hospitals, courts, schools, local clinics, and outreach agencies; if there had been people in need and an opening available, she'd leaped headfirst into it.
Inko had started on that path, thinking that she'd be helping the most vulnerable. And she had! But… no one had prepared her for just how many were suffering simply because of how they'd been born. Heteromorphs that deviated too far from the human form. Quirks that let people influence thoughts or actions.
And people like Tenko. Those with Quirks that didn't naturally come to mind when someone thought of a hero. Someone who the public could only ever imagine in the role of the killer, the villain, and the threat.
She could almost imagine how it all went down. Maybe he'd been playing with his friends or his family when it activated. He'd probably accidentally decayed a toy or piece of furniture in the moment and been excited. In that moment, it would have felt like all his dreams were coming true. Like he'd get to be a hero like All Might or any of the other famous icons.
And then it all would have been taken away from him.
His family must have been terrified of him and what he could do. Maybe it was like Mitsuki said, and some mistake happened, leading to their deaths. Or maybe they'd feared that very fate and lashed out in fear, tossing their own son out and calling him a villain.
It would hardly be the first time she'd heard of parents abandoning a child over such callous reasoning.
"Hey. Inko, you alright?" Mitsuki snapped her fingers in front of her face. "You spaced out for a second."
"Sorry. I was just… thinking about Tenko's situation. What he might have been through."
"There's no use stressing yourself out over something that might not have even happened. Maybe the kids' parents were abusive. Or maybe they were saints and something tragic happened." Mitsuki told her. "You can't know for sure, so just focus on what's in front of you."
Inko sighed again, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're right… god, this is why I left social work. I'd get so worked up over every case."
It was fortunate that Hisashi was such a wizard at the PR game. Heroes from all over the world wanted him to work his magic for their image and get them a leg up in the hero rankings.
"Well, the good news is that this time there'll be a happy ending. You got the kid off the street and to a hospital where people can help him. You're even going back to check on him and make sure of it." Mitsuki added. "Compared to the stories you've told me before? This is about as good as you can hope for, isn't it?"
It was…
So why did she still have this uneasy feeling in her gut?
Two weeks had passed since Inko saved Tenko.
True to her word, Inko had visited every day to check on him. She could usually only ever stay for a couple of hours, but that didn't seem to matter. Whether they were sharing a meal, playing with some of the toys the doctors had brought in for him, or just chatting, he was always happy to see her.
He even seemed to be starting to trust the medical staff more. Inko wasn't sure why he liked her the most when he spent so much more time around them, but progress was progress. The doctors were already saying that in another week, she wouldn't have to come by anymore.
Tenko wouldn't like it, but it was for the best. He had to be able to cope with what he'd gone through without her there to act as a crutch.
She arrived at the hospital today around noon and moved through the halls with the easy fluidity of her previous visits. No one in the hospital stopped to ask her why she was here. Most of them already knew about the arrangement she had with Tenko's doctors, and the few who didn't accepted the visitor's badge she wore on her chest as proof she was allowed to be there.
Inko found his doctor – an older woman in her forties with a single, large eye in the center of her forehead – waiting in Tenko's room like she always did before a visit.
"Hello, Doctor Oshima." She greeted. "Sorry, I'm a little late. Traffic was really bad today."
Doctor Oshima glanced up from her chart, pulling it close to her chest and frowning. "Ah, Mrs. Midoriya. It's no trouble."
"How is Tenko doing today?" She asked.
"He's doing fine, no problems to worry about. I wish I could tell you more, but you know how it is. Doctor-patient confidentiality prohibits it." Oshima sighed. "Even if Tenko will probably talk your ear off about every little thing that's happened anyway."
She hid her laughter behind her hand. "I think that's a good thing. At least he's more open now than he was when I first met him."
"I'll give you that." The doctor admitted. "He's made great progress. Even when you're not here, he's more willing to talk to the nurses and me. He's really a sweet boy once you get him out of his shell. He should be ready to leave the hospital soon."
"Have you figured out what's going to happen to him? Have you found any family willing to take him in?" Inko asked.
Doctor Oshima grimaced. "Ah. I actually needed to talk to you about that. There's been a development on that front."
"What kind of- "
"Ah, doctor! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"
Inko and Oshima alike turned to look at the new voice. A short man who barely reached Inko's waist strode down the hallway towards them. He wore a suit, but unlike the immaculate, and perfectly tailored kind you'd find on CEO's and businessmen, his was almost certainly store-bought. It didn't fit him well. He carried a simple black briefcase at his side, and as he drew closer, she could see some mild bags hanging under his eyes.
"Ah. Mister Tano. How are you?" Oshima asked.
He smiled up at them both. "I'm fine. I've been running all over the hospital looking for you, but I could never quite catch up! Almost like you were trying to avoid me."
Oshima shrugged one shoulder. "I'm a doctor. If I'm standing in one place for more than a few seconds, it means I'm not doing something more important."
He chuckled. "Fair enough." He turned, smiling at Inko. "And who is this?"
"This is Inko Midoriya. The woman who found Tenko." Doctor Oshima introduced. "She came by for her daily visit."
He perked up. "Ah! So, you're the saint who found our huddled young urchin and raised him from the gutter. And a beauty as well. Heh, it really is a pleasure."
Inko's smile turned just a smidge less genuine. "It's all yours, Mr. Tano. But if you don't mind me asking, who are you? Do you work here at the hospital?"
He laughed even louder, running a hand through his hair. "I'm flattered you think so highly of me, but no. I don't have the brains or stomach for something like that. I leave that to the folks like Madame Oshima here."
Doctor Oshima pinched the bridge of her nose, looking at the ceiling. "Tano works for the Hero Public Safety Commission."
Inko blinked. An uneasy feeling twisted in her gut, though she couldn't place why. "Oh. What are you doing here then?"
"Why, for young Tenko, of course!" He said, "The boy has such potential!"
She frowned. "I don't understand."
"As you both know, the HPSC is focused on supporting our heroes in the field and keeping the peace that our society has enjoyed for so many years. That means that we're not only focused on the present, but the future!" He explained. "Today's heroes won't be around forever, so we'll always need to find new talent to fill the ranks."
"He's five!" Inko exclaimed. "You can't honestly be considering him for that!"
"We're hardly going to simply 'throw him to the wolves'. We're not monsters." He laughed off her concern with a wave of his hand. "But when Doctor Oshima logged his Quirk into the system and what it was capable of, we knew we had to act."
The doctor sighed. "It's standard protocol with orphans who come in for treatment. As routine as logging the results of a physical or a blood test." Her eyes narrowed at the tiny man. "The HPSC never takes an interest normally, though…."
"I admit, it took us a while to come to a decision on what to do about young Tenko here," Tano said. "Investing in a child like him isn't a decision that should be made lightly. But my bosses have decided he might be worth the effort."
"How would this even work?" Inko demanded.
"We have experience with cases like his. Whenever orphans with uniquely useful Quirks are found, we'll take them on as wards of the HPSC. They'll be given homes of their own with certified and trusted caretakers, Quirk counseling from the best in the country, and an education suited to their future as a hero." Tano explained. "With us, Tenko will want for nothing, and his success is all but guaranteed."
"It would be better than leaving him in the foster care system…." Oshima trailed off.
It would. During her time as a social worker, she'd spent a lot of it helping orphaned children. Many of them never got adopted and were forced to navigate the world on their own, with no support system behind them or resources of their own.
Even with those who were fortunate enough to get adopted… it was a coin toss whether it would work out or not. Some got happy and healthy families. Others were stuck with people who only adopted them for the benefits they brought and were all but cast aside. Worst of all were those adopted by people who thought they could love and care for a child… but couldn't find it in them to care once the kid was there.
By contrast, this arrangement with the HPSC was practically a dream come true. A healthy and stable environment for them to grow up in. An entire legion of people dedicated to looking after and training them. Even a practical guarantee that they'd get to be heroes – the one dream every child in the world shared.
And yet… something was bugging her.
Something she couldn't quite place.
"Have you not been able to find any of his family?" She asked.
Oshima shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. Nothing came up in our system. He still won't tell us where he came from or what his last name is, either. Kid's practically a ghost."
"There haven't been any missing children's reports either," Tano added. "Nobody is looking for him. He's alone in the world. "
Inko sighed. "Then… I suppose this really is the best option for him. I'd been holding out hope that we might be able to find his family."
"We've tried. And maybe once he opens up a bit more, something he tells us can help us find them." Tano told her. "Which is why I need to ask you not to come by the hospital anymore."
Inko reared back, rapidly blinking her eyes. "What? Why?"
"He's too attached to you. For the next week until he's released, I'll be taking your place." Tano explained. "We'd like to ease him into the new life that awaits him."
"Oh… I see. That's probably for the best." She looked down. "I should probably leave then. Let you get to it."
Tano reached out, patting her lower back – as high as he could reach. "Hey, don't worry so much. We're going to take good care of little Tenko." He stepped back, setting his briefcase down. "I'm not supposed to do this, but I'd like to give you something."
He pulled out his wallet and fished some cash out, holding it up to her. "Here. A couple thousand yen. There's a really nice café I spotted across the street on my way in." He smiled brightly. "Get yourself something nice on me."
"Oh." She slowly reached out to take it from him. "Thanks… I guess."
He laughed boisterously and turned his back to her. "Don't thank me! People like you are the real heroes! Always willing to extend a hand to those in need. It's an example even some Pros I know could learn from."
He didn't see the forlorn expression that graced her face as he and the doctor walked away.
Nor the clenched fist that held the money he'd so 'generously' gifted her.
As it turned out, the cafe really was a nice place.
Nestled on a little street corner with a nice view of the nearby river, Inko was immersed in the gentle thrum of conversation from the other visitors and the jazz music playing softly in the background. Couples and families alike passed through the area, either on their way to enjoy a day by the river or just to get a quick drink. A few heroes would even occasionally pass by to sign autographs and take pictures.
Seated at a little table in the corner beneath an umbrella, she stared down at the large coffee before her. Though calling it coffee would have been a misnomer… with all the chocolate, hot fudge, peanut butter, caramel, whipped cream, cinnamon, and brown sugar she'd had added to it? She was pretty sure any coffee connoisseur would have wept tears of despair at how much she'd butchered it.
It sure was delicious, though.
God, she hated how much she liked this place.
It'd been half an hour since that representative from the HPSC had politely but not so subtly dismissed her. Against her better judgment, she'd taken him up on his recommendation and checked it out. She hadn't been planning on staying long… but the energy surrounding the place was just too inviting for her not to want to stay a while.
When she'd found this monstrosity, they called a drink on their menu?
Her fate had been sealed.
She slurped a good mouthful of the coffee through a straw, suppressing a moan of delight as the sugar hit her tongue. It was a nice distraction from everything that was going on.
Honestly, though, she didn't know why she was taking this so hard. She'd done everything she was supposed to. More, even! Anyone else would have been glad to have rescued a child and passed them off to the proper authorities.
Something in her gut just felt off, though. Maybe it was her motherly instincts flaring at the wrong time, or maybe it was old intuition from her days as a social worker. Either way, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more she could do for Tenko. That the HSPC's interest wasn't the best for him.
Inko sighed, stirring her drink with her straw. She was just overreacting. Some lingering sense of responsibility since she was the one who found him. Maybe a good night's sleep was all she needed to move on.
"Excuse me, miss. Do you mind if I sit here for a moment?"
She looked up, surprised she hadn't noticed someone approaching her. The first thing she noticed was how big he was – and she meant big. He was easily over seven feet tall with broad shoulders and a muscular physique that was obvious even through the immaculate suit he wore. He even had a fancy little fedora nestled atop his head, hiding his full face from view.
Her first thought after taking it all in was that he didn't belong here. The whole vibe of this café was 'a relaxing and peaceful place to forget about the stresses of everyday life.' Without even speaking to him, she could tell he would have been more at place in some five-star restaurant or a cocktail lounge at a hotel where a single night was more than she'd made in her entire life.
"Um… sure." A glance at his hands revealed that he hadn't ordered anything. "Are you still waiting on your order?"
"Ah, no. I just thought it'd be nice to sit back and relax for a moment. The atmosphere here is too nice to pass up." He sat down in the chair across from her.
When he reached up to pluck his hat off his head and shake his hair free, Inko would admit that she hadn't been expecting such stark white hair to be hiding beneath it. Nor the pure white eyes that seemed to stare into her soul. Was it related to his Quirk, perhaps? Passive mutations came in all shapes and sizes, after all.
That wasn't to say he was hideous, of course! Quite the opposite. He had a sort… domineering and elusive charm. She was happily married to Hisashi, but she'd admit that if she wasn't? She'd have been tempted.
"It is nice." She said, "I'm Inko Midoriya. Can I ask why you wanted to sit here instead of anywhere else?"
"The company, of course. You seemed the most interesting out of everyone here." He smiled – almost as if he was privy to some private joke. "Suel. The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Midoriya."
He got points for noticing the ring on her finger; she'd give him that. It at least made him better than that Tano fellow from the HPSC.
"What brings you around here? Are you just out on a walk?" She asked.
"Oh, nothing so fanciful. I'm here on business and decided to step out for a moment to get some air." Suel replied. "Hospitals are a tricky business at the best of times. Stepping back to breathe is essential if you want to avoid getting overwhelmed."
She blinked. "You work at the hospital?"
"Yes and no. It's more accurate to say that I'm an investor. I'm on their board of directors." He explained. "There's a lot more that goes into running a hospital than you'd think… Ah, but I don't want to bore you. What about you? What brings you here?"
"What a coincidence. I just came from the hospital." Inko placed her elbow on the table, leaning her cheek against her palm and slurping at her coffee. "I was… visiting someone."
"A family member?" Suel asked.
"No… There was a boy I found on the streets a few weeks ago. I took him here and have been visiting him ever since." She explained.
He made a sound of recognition. "Ah, so you're the one who brought young Tenko to us? The whole hospital has been charmed by him." He sighed. "It's a shame what's going to happen to him, but I suppose it's better than the alternative."
That uneasy feeling in her gut rose again, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean? He's being taken as a ward of the HPSC. That's a good thing, isn't it?"
"Compared to being shunted into the foster care system or left on the streets, yes. But it's a bit like asking if someone would like to drink poison or eat a plate of dead rats." Suel drawled. "One might be infinitely better than the alternative, but that doesn't make it ideal by any means."
"What's wrong with the HPSC?" She asked. "I know it's a little unconventional for an organization to raise a child, but they can't be that bad. When I spoke with their representative earlier, he said they'd give him everything a growing child needs and even help prepare him for life as a hero."
"Of that, I have no doubt. If there's one thing they can be counted on, it's their unceasing dedication to pumping out new heroes." Suel drummed his fingers along the table, staring up at the sky. "But every once in a while, you hear things about the kids that fall under their umbrella."
Her grip tightened around her paper cup, fingers creating indents in its side. "Like what?"
"Most of the heroes raised and trained by them turn out fine. Good, hard-working members of society and reliable protectors of the innocent. I don't want to give you the wrong idea." He rushed to assure her. "Sometimes, though… Well, they don't turn out right."
Suel's eyes shifted to the hospital not far away. "The children in their care don't really get to be just that. They're the future protectors of Japan. There's no time for friends or fun or anything that isn't in pursuit of being a hero." He said, "And whether it's out of a fear of being abandoned again or simple gratitude, the results that end up here are always the same. Broken little soldiers who've had that spark inside them snuffed out."
"That can't be true. The HPSC oversees every hero in Japan. None of them are like that." Inko said.
"Most heroes only come under their purview after they've started their training in high school. And even then, they won't feel the effects of that until they've earned their licenses. By that point, they've learned that life has more to it than just following orders." Suel explained. "Children raised by them… they are not so fortunate."
Inko didn't know what to say after that. What could she say? She didn't know what it meant to be a hero or how the whole system worked. But she did know people… she knew how not everyone treated children with the care they deserved. It wasn't always malicious, either. She'd seen many children being crushed under the weight of the ambition and expectations of the adults in their lives.
Was that the fate that awaited Tenko? To lose what little chance for a childhood he had left? To break himself in pursuit of a goal he couldn't properly understand yet? To become a machine whose whole life was plotted out for him before he even had a real say?
It took all her self-control not to vomit at the thought.
"It's a shame there's nothing that can be done for him," Suel said. "But with no family and no one stepping forward to adopt him, the HPSC has free rein to do as they like."
Green eyes darted up to meet white. "What do you mean?"
"The HPSC is only allowed to take children in as wards if there are no better options for the children," Suel explained. "It's a safety precaution that the more humanitarian amongst our government put in place to stop them from making every orphan into child soldiers."
"Is that so…?" She trailed off.
"Oh yes. Surprisingly, the conservative types also backed them on that move. Mostly out of concerns about funding. If they had to focus on raising that many children to be heroes, the government would go bankrupt in a fortnight. And then how would they skim their fair share off the top?"
"So… if someone stepped forward to claim him, then the HPSC couldn't take him?" Inko asked.
"It's possible. There'd be inspections and audits to make sure the child was being properly cared for, but yes. The HPSC is meant to be a last resort for only the most promising of children." Suel explained. "But as you likely know, there's no one willing to take him. I'm sure he'll be fine, though. He'll be living every child's dream, after all."
Inko grunted noncommittally, hanging her head and staring down at her lap.
Suel held up his wrist to look at his watch. "Ah, look at the time. My break is almost over. I'd better get back to work." He stood up, placing his hat back atop his head like a crown. "It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Midoriya. Have a pleasant day."
"You too, Mr. Suel…."
Suel left her to stew in her own thoughts, whistling a cheerful tune as he departed.
Tenko… was there really nothing that she could do for him?
"Good afternoon! You're Tenko, right? Your doctor told me all about you."
Tenko looked at the hand a few inches away from his face. The body attached to it was small – still bigger than him, but not by much. Aside from his size, the man looked the same as almost any other adult he'd met.
He reached up, scratching at his neck with gloved hands. "Who are you?"
"You can call me Tano. Do you mind if I take a seat?" The man asked with a smile.
It was fake.
Tenko had gotten good at spotting the fakes from the real ones. It was just like the ones his family wore at the dinner table.
He shrugged at the man's question, staring down at the Rubik's cube in front of him. The nurses had brought him some toys and games over the past few days. They were… nice. Not like the ones he'd had before, but fun.
Distracting.
"Wonderful." Tano drawled, dragging the chair out and sitting next to Tenko at the table. Not close enough to touch, but enough that it made Tenko's hair stand on end. "A Rubik's cube, huh? That's a tough one. I can never finish them."
"It's not hard," Tenko muttered.
It wasn't. All you had to do was match the colors and remember how they moved around the block. He'd already done it a few times. The nurses kept scrambling it to try to throw him off, but it never stuck.
It was fun, though.
"The docs say that you'll be able to leave here soon. Excited?" Tano asked.
Tenko froze for a second, hands clasped tight around the cube. "Leave…?"
Tano nodded. "That's right! Hospitals are for the sick and dying. Thanks to Doctor Oshima and her team's hard work, you're as fit as a fiddle. Free to leave in only a few more days."
That was good… right? It was supposed to be a good thing. At least, that was what the strange man's expression and the attitude of the doctors all seemed to be. They were the adults, so they knew best.
He scratched at his neck again – a bit faster than before.
"The doctors tell me they don't know who your family is." Tano continued. "They must be really worried about you. You sure you don't want to tell us who they are so we can let them know you're alright?"
His fingers tightened around the cube, and his shoulders tensed. The gloves that had comforted him and soothed his fears about touching something now felt so… constricting. Why did this man have to keep talking? Why couldn't he just stop?
He didn't want to think about his family.
Not now.
Not ever.
Tano took his silence as the refusal that it was, shaking his head. "Fair enough. We can talk about your family when you're ready. There'll be plenty of time for it in the future."
"Do you know when Inko will be coming?" He mumbled.
Tano blinked. "The Midoriya lady? Ah, I see they haven't told you yet." His eyes flashed with sympathy. "She won't be coming by anymore, I'm afraid."
Tenko stilled, his heart skipping a beat. "W-why?"
"Some people aren't meant to be caretakers, young Tenko. They can lend a helping hand now and then, but the day-to-day work can be a lot for some people." Tano said. "Don't hold it against her. The burden of caring for a child isn't for everyone."
Burden.
That's all he was. Just a burden. He guessed he couldn't blame Inko for leaving him. She was so kind… he didn't want to cause her any trouble. Not like he had for his family. She… she deserved better. She probably had a nice life of her own to get back to.
Visiting him must have simply made her too sad.
"Oh…." Tenko trailed off, setting the cube down. "Can you t-tell her I said goodbye?"
"I'm sorry. She already left and said she wouldn't be coming back." Tano frowned. "I can track her down to say goodbye for you, if you'd like?"
"N-no… It's okay."
Tenko sniffed, hiding his face behind his hair. His fingers dug into his neck more frantically, deep enough to leave bright red welts even with the gloves covering them.
"Hey, it's okay. You're not alone." Tano reached out, his hand hovering over Tenko's shoulder. When Tenko flinched and pulled away, though, the man sighed and lowered it back to his side.
"What's going to happen to me?" Tenko asked.
He didn't want to go back to the streets. He heard some of the nurses mention an 'orphanage' the last few times they'd spoken with the doctor. Tenko wasn't sure what an orphanage was, but if the grimaces and unpleasant tones that surrounded them were any clue?
Ending up there would be very bad.
"Well, normally a child in your situation would be sent into the foster care system or off to an orphanage until we can find you a home." Tano let that hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "But there is another option. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Hero Public Safety Commission?"
Tenko shook his head. "No… what's that?"
"To keep things simple? We're the ones who help heroes like All Might, Endeavor, and the other top pros do their jobs so well. More importantly, we're always on the lookout for people that we think have the potential to be the next generation of heroes." Tano said. "Have you ever thought about becoming a hero?"
He flinched at the question, huddling in on himself and clenching his eye shut. "N-no…."
Thinking about heroes was bad. Talking about them was even worse. He wouldn't do that. Not ever. Not after what happened last time.
"Really?" Tano made note of the reaction, humming to himself. "Well, I think you have a lot of potential, Tenko. With your Quirk? You could be a great hero one day. Maybe even one of the top 10."
Tenko rubbed his arm, hesitantly peaking up at the older man through his hair. "Really? But my Quirk… It's scary."
"People are afraid of fire, but that hasn't stopped Endeavor from capturing the public's imagination," Tano replied. "You could help a lot of people, Tenko. Stop the bad guys, rescue the helpless from ruined buildings, and be loved."
That didn't sound bad… he'd always wanted to be a hero. To be like All Might and save people with a smile on his face. His dad always said that heroes were bad. That they hurt the people who loved them to save strangers and bask in the fame.
But that couldn't be true… All Might and the other heroes like him would never hurt their families. They actually cared about people and tried to save everyone they could.
They weren't like his dad.
"You… think I can be a hero?" Tenko muttered.
"With our help? Of course!" Tano smiled, ruffling his hair. It took all his restraint not to swat it away. "So long as you stick with us and be a good boy, we'll make you one of the best heroes in the country. You'll save a lot of lives; I can promise you that."
"Will I get to work with All Might?" Tenko asked.
"Maybe one day. If you're lucky." Tano promised. "So, what do you say? Are you okay with the commission looking after you? I promise that we'll do everything in our power to make you a great hero and keep you safe."
He… wasn't sure. He didn't know these people or what they wanted from him, not really. A voice in the back of his head – one that sounded suspiciously like his father at his angriest – told him not to trust Tano or anyone else from this Commission. Tenko didn't believe that heroes were bad… but what if they were? What if his father had been right all along and heroes really were evil? He had to have a reason for all the times he hit and punished Tenko… right?
Another, larger part of him was tempted, though. The chance to be a hero… it was everything he'd ever wanted. To become strong, help others, and live a life free from fear. This commission could help him do that. They could give him a new home and keep him from returning to the streets.
It wasn't like he had any other options. No one else wanted him. And why would they? He was worthless. Weak. A m-monster with a Quirk that had killed—
Tenko took a breath, banishing the thoughts from his head. Then he nodded. It was all he could do to give Tano an answer. His throat was too dry for anything else.
Tano's grin grew. "Excellent! Trust me, my boy, this is the best decision you've ever made. You won't regret this!"
Inko had lost her mind.
That was the only explanation for what she was doing. No one in the hospital halls paid her any special mind. With her daily visits to check in on a child she'd rescued off the streets, she'd become familiar with most of the staff – through reputation, if not personally. One nurse even held the elevator door open and sent her up to pediatrics without even asking.
She just couldn't stop thinking about what Suel had said earlier, about the future that awaited Tenko if he went with the Commission. A life focused only on heroics, constantly moving from crisis to crisis and villain to villain. No chance to rest, no concern for his own well-being, and no one outside of the Commission who cared about him.
A child needed people who cared, not about their powers or the potential they had as future heroes, but as a person. Tenko especially needed that. From what little she knew of what he'd been through and what her experience as a social worker told her? He'd suffered more than any child deserved to.
He deserved a chance at a normal life. A chance to heal from whatever he'd been through. Make friends, laugh without a care in the world, and dream of the stars. Even if he did want to be a hero, let it be because of genuine empathy and a desire to help others, not the commands of those he felt he owed everything to.
It was the bare minimum any child was entitled to.
She managed to find Doctor Oshima just as the Commission's agent emerged from Tenko's room. They started discussing something that she couldn't quite hear, but based on the distaste that crossed the doctor's eyes? Inko had a feeling it had something to do with the boy of the hour.
She stopped a few feet away from them, coughing lightly under her breath. "Um… excuse me. I'm sorry to interrupt, but can I speak with you two?"
They both paused in their conversation. Both were surprised, but it was tinged with something different for each of them. Tano's was mixed with an almost exasperated annoyance, while Doctor Oshima's seemed almost… hopeful?
"You're back? I can't say I expected to see you here again." Tano said. "Can this wait? The doctor and I are in the middle of discussing something important. Tenko's future, as you can imagine. We can't afford to delay it."
"That's actually what I wanted to talk with you both about." She said.
Tano frowned. "Ms. Midoriya, I'm sorry, but we really can't tell you anything more about the boy or what will happen to him. It's very improper of you to keep asking- "
"I want to adopt him."
Tano stopped dead in his tracks. He gaped up at her like a fish, jaw practically touching the floor and wide-eyed. Of all the things he'd been expecting her to say, that clearly hadn't been one of them. Not by a long shot.
The doctor, however, was not nearly so shocked. Doctor Oshima stepped forward, blinking her massive eye with a patient gaze. "Mrs. Midoria… are you sure about this? Do you know what you're asking?"
She did. By all the gods out there, she did. Her heart was hammering so fast that she feared it would burst out of her chest. Her nerves screamed at her to take the out and back away, leave it in better hands than her own! But she couldn't allow that to control her. Tenko needed someone to advocate for him.
And right now? All he had was her.
"I do." She replied. "If it's still possible, I'd like to put myself forward as a guardian."
"As… generous and commendable as that is, I'm afraid that's impossible," Tano said. "The Commission has already decided to move forward with his wardship. He even seems excited to learn from us."
Inko's heart sank.
"Actually, that's not entirely true." Doctor Oshima interrupted.
Inko held her breath, eyes flicking to the good doctor and licking her suddenly dry lips.
"The Commission is only allowed to take in children as wards if there's no one else to look after them. No biological family, no adoptive parents, or anyone else." The doctor explained. "But… that no longer applies. If Mrs. Midoriya is serious about wanting to take him in, then there's no need for the Commission to get involved."
Tano scowled, but Inko paid him no mind. She watched the doctor closely, feeling the tension in her gut slowly ebb away as the threat of facing the Commission vanished.
Doctor Oshima glanced down at Tano. "You should tell your superiors. I'm sure they'll want to hear about this good news. One less child to grow up without a family."
"… yes. Yes, I suppose I should." Tano sighed, shoulders sagging as he turned and began to trudge away. "If you'll excuse me, I'd best go inform the Commission of the news."
Once he had turned the corner of the hall and presumably headed outside, Doctor Oshima regarded Inko fully once more. "Can I ask what changed your mind?"
Inko looked at the ground, shutting her eyes and heaving with a heavy sigh. "I just… can't stomach the idea of that boy being left on his own. Having his whole future decided for him before he's even had a chance to live for himself."
Oshima regarded her for a long moment, searching for the honesty in her words. Whatever she found must have satisfied her, for she nodded to herself. "Well, I think you're doing the right thing. I've treated many heroes raised by the Commission… however good their intentions might be, their parenting leaves much to be desired."
"That makes me feel a little better," Inko admitted. "Still… a part of me feels insane for doing this. I hope I can do right by him."
"As long as you keep that attitude, then you will. In my experience, the parents who care the most are also the ones constantly wondering if they're doing enough. It motivates them." Doctor Oshima said. "You mentioned before that you were a social worker, right? That should help you skip the wait, at least."
Inko was thinking the same thing. Usually, there was at least a year of paperwork and administrative hoops you had to jump through before you were entrusted with a child. Given her past line of work and a few favors from old friends, however, she'd hopefully be able to take him in quickly enough.
No one wanted orphans to languish on their own, after all. The administrative hoops were there for the children's protection and to vet prospective parents. In cases where those adopters could be trusted to look after them properly, though?
Well, no one was going to stand in their way.
"I'll get the paperwork you need to fill out and handle everything on my end. Someone should be in contact with you about all this soon." Oshima glanced towards the hospital room. "As long as nothing goes wrong? I'm hoping you can take him home with you by the end of the week."
That wouldn't be the end of it, of course. There would be routine visits and inspections, expectations she'd have to fulfill, appointments for doctors to get done, enrollment in a school or academy of some sort… so much to worry about.
And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that her house wasn't ready for a child his age yet. Nor one with a Quirk as dangerous as his. Or the fact that she still had to explain all of this to Hisashi and somehow convince him to go along with it.
Gods above… she really was in over her head, wasn't? She couldn't turn back now, though.
She wouldn't.
"Is it okay if I speak with him?" She asked.
Doctor Oshima smiled, nodding. "Of course. I imagine he'll be happy to see you again. And hear the good news."
While the doctor walked off to check on her other patients and get what Inko needed, the soon-to-be adoptive mother took a breath to steady her nerves. Once her hands stopped shaking and she couldn't hear her heart any longer, she pushed open the door to Tenko's room with a smile.
He was seated at the small side table in his room, hunched over its surface and smashing two toys against one another – All Might and some robot villain, if she had to guess.
He didn't even look up at her entrance.
"Hey there, Tenko. It's good to see you." She smiled, shutting the door behind her. "Sorry, I'm late."
Tenko went still, dropping the toys from between his fingers. Slowly, he turned to look at her – red eyes wide behind his shaggy hair. He almost didn't seem to believe that she was really here.
She strode forward, crouching down so that she was eye-level with him. "No hello? I'm hurt."
"H-hello, Mrs. Midoriya." He stuttered. His hands shifted in his lap, tugging at the fingertips of his gloves - as if he wanted to reach out but was too shy to try. "I thought you weren't coming back."
Inko tilted his head aside. "Why would you think that? I promised to come see you again, didn't I?"
He looked away, reaching up to scratch at his neck again. "Mr. Tano said that you didn't want to see me anymore. He said you didn't want a… a burden like me."
Inko kept her calm visage, even as something snapped inside her. Did he now? Well, it was very fortunate that Tano was nowhere to be found. If he were here, Inko didn't think she'd have the self-control not to lash out at him.
Not for insulting her. She wasn't so weak-willed that his opinions could get to her. No, it was for manipulating the little boy in front of her, and playing on his own low self-esteem to do it.
Only a monster could stoop so low.
"Mr. Tano made a mistake. He didn't know what he was talking about." Inko said. "I'm here now, so don't worry about anything he said."
He nodded silently, hands coming to rest calmly in his lap again.
"You're getting out of here in a few days. Good as new, according to the doctors." She said. "You must be relieved."
He shrugged. "I guess… my body doesn't hurt as much anymore." He mumbled. "Mr. Tano says that means I can go live with him and the Comi- the Commmm- the Commition?"
Of course, that man had already told Tenko what he had planned for him. She'd be surprised if he had waited even five minutes before springing the idea of being a hero on him.
"The Commission." She gently corrected him. "There is another place you can go, though. If you don't want to live with him."
Tenko tilted his head aside. "There is?"
"Yes…." Inko took another breath, smiling brightly and holding her hand out to him. "Would you like to come with me instead?"
He sucked in his breath between his teeth, staring at the hand in front of him with a mix of timidity and hope. "You… you want me to come with you?"
She nodded. "That's right. Once the doctors say that you're good to go, you can come back to my home with me. Meet my family." She frowned. "Assuming you want to, that is. I don't want to force you to- "
"I want to!" Tenko nodded frantically, reaching out to grab her hand and hold it tight. He trembled before her, eyes wide and tears prickling at their edges. "I-I'll go with you! I'll be good! I promise!"
Well… that settled it then.
She reached over with her other hand, ruffling his hair. He leaned up into her touch. "Then that's what we'll do." She promised. "Leave it all to me, Tenko. I'll be taking care of you from now on."
A little boy's future now rested on her shoulders.
Inko hoped she was up to the task.