Chapter 10 - Chapter 9: Old acquittance

Izaku woke up and moved through his routine without much thought—brushing his teeth, making his bed, getting dressed. He didn't need reminders or pressure from his parents. These habits were part of him now.Sleep, especially, had become important. He didn't mess around with it anymore.Other kids his age might've stayed up late—playing games, scrolling on their phones, or watching TV. But Izaku? He couldn't risk it.He had learned the hard way.Back when he was younger, he'd been the shortest in his class. It had always bothered him, though he tried not to show it. When he finally hit a growth spurt, it was only thirteen centimeters—hardly the difference he'd hoped for.And he knew exactly why.Late nights. All those hours he'd spent staying up—reading under the covers, playing games, thinking he could catch up on sleep later. But the damage was done. It had stunted his growth in ways he couldn't reverse.Now, he wasn't going to let it happen again. No more late nights. Not anymore.After finishing up his morning routine, Izaku made his way downstairs, knowing his parents would already be up. They were always early risers, and he didn't have to put on any act—he had naturally adopted their habits.When he stepped into the kitchen, his mother was at the stove, quietly focused on preparing breakfast. The miso soup and natto were already on the table, and she was just about to start on the fish."Morning, Mum," Izaku said as he sat down at the table, grabbing his chopsticks and starting on the natto without much thoughts. He didn't need any small talk; this was just how things were in their household in the morning."Morning sweetheart," his mother responded, briefly glancing over her shoulder with a soft smile, "Up early as always, took a good night?" before turning back to the stove."Yeah, slept good I guess." he replied, though it wasn't true. His mind had been full of thoughts, too many to quiet. But telling her that would only cause more worry. She'd never let it go.After Izuku gone missing three years ago, Akiko, blesse her heart, had apparently become more protective. Always asking if he was okay, always making sure he was fine. Izaku didn't want to add to her burden, so he gave the answer she wanted to hear.As Akiko prepared the fish, the smell of miso soup filled the room. Izaku ate quietly, focusing on the rhythm of his routine. Sometimes, sticking to the routine was the only way to keep from thinking too much."How are you feeling?" his mother asked, breaking the silence, her voice gentle but probing, as if she could sense the storm of thoughts beneath his calm surface."Good," Izaku answered quickly, maybe too quickly. He felt her pause, but she didn't push further. Instead, she just nodded, letting the silence return.He appreciated that. Sometimes words didn't help.The quiet of the kitchen was interrupted by the sound of the front door sliding open. A moment later, Takahisa, Izaku's father, stepped into the room, his presence calm yet solid this time."Morning," he greeted, his voice low and steady. He didn't waste words, just like his son.Izaku looked up and nodded, acknowledging his father's arrival. "Morning, Dad."Takahisa moved toward the table, his movements smooth but deliberate. He poured himself a cup of tea, taking a seat opposite Izaku. His eyes lingered on his son for a brief second before shifting to his wife, Akiko."Everything ready?" he asked quietly, glancing at the stove where the fish was finishing up."Almost," Akiko replied, turning the fish with a practiced hand. She looked back at Takahisa, her eyes softer than usual, as if something unspoken passed between them.Izaku kept eating, but he could feel his father's gaze drift back to him. It wasn't sharp or probing, just there—watchful. Takahisa had always been like that. He might be a little goofy, but he didn't hover, didn't interfere unless he had to, and he always knew when something was off."How are you holding up?" his father finally asked, breaking the quiet.Izaku didn't answer right away. He considered saying the same thing he'd told his mother—that he was fine. But his father wasn't the type to ask unless he really wanted to know."Alright, I guess," Izaku said, keeping his tone steady. "Just... a lot on my mind."Takahisa didn't push for details. He just nodded, sipping his tea. "Figured," he said simply. Then after a pause, he added, "When Izuku wakes up, can you take him around to show him a bit?."Izaku paused, the chopsticks lingering in his hand for a moment before he put them down. He hadn't expected his father to bring up Izuku so casually. The weight of yesterday's reunion still hung heavy in his mind."Yeah... I can do that," he answered, though there was a slight hesitation in his voice. The thought of showing his brother around felt strange—like he was trying to guide someone who had once been part of their world but was now a stranger.Takahisa nodded, satisfied with the answer, but there was a slight shift in his expression—something almost unreadable. He sipped his tea again, letting the quiet return.Izaku kept eating, but the food tasted different now, his appetite fading. His mind circled back to his brother, the boy who had left when Izaku was not even born. And now here he was, asked to bridge the gap between them, as if three years of absence could be filled in with a quick tour of their compound.Akiko turned from the stove, her usual warmth returning to her face as she placed the grilled fish on the table. "Izuku will be glad to spend time with you, Izaku," she said, her voice gentle. "It's been so long... I think he's missed this place.""I know, I know. Like I said yesterday, he still is... technically, a stranger to me. Not that I don't trust him, but the mood between us is still awkward," Izaku admitted, his voice quieter, more thoughtful. He stared down at his plate, pushing the natto around with his chopsticks.Akiko's expression softened even more as she sat down beside him. "It'll take time, sweetheart," she said gently, her hand briefly resting on his shoulder. "But you two are brothers. That bond is still there, even if it doesn't feel like it right now."Izaku nodded, but the unease in his chest hadn't gone away. The idea of connecting with his unknown brother of whom was recently introduced was still something he couldn't quite get his head around, after all, he had in the past his own brother to worry about. He knew the basics—his brother had been recruited young, sent away for something bigger than any of them. But knowing the facts didn't make the situation any easier to process.Takahisa listened quietly, his gaze shifting between his wife and son. After a moment, he added in his unusual calm, measured tone, "You're right to feel that way, Izaku. After being absent for all of your life, it's not going to be smooth at first. It was that way too with my own father, you will get around with that."Izaku took a deep breath, trying to ease the knot in his stomach. "Yeah. I'll try," he muttered, glancing up at his father. "I just don't want to mess it up.""You won't," Takahisa said firmly, his eyes meeting Izaku's with a quiet confidence. "You're his brother. That's enough for now."As time went on, Izuku woke up midday, walking down the guest room to find his little brother reading a book gifted to him by their mother as a birthday gift of whom is sitting beside him quietly assisting him on some subject he didn't understand.It was about Chakra molding theories. As she was herself an adept Iro-nin, she had a deep understanding of Chakra in itself."Morning," He said, as he walked and sat on the couch in front of him, still feeling a little bit awkward around his brother.His little brother looked up from the book and nodded, "Morning Izu. Didn't know you were a sleeping princess."Izuku chuckled lightly at his little brother's comment, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, guess I'm not used to relaxing this much," he admitted, still adjusting to the slower pace of life at home compared to the relentless missions he'd been on. It felt odd, sitting in the familiar living room, trying to reconnect with a family he hadn't been part of for years.Their mother smiled softly, her eyes flicking between her sons, sensing the lingering awkwardness but appreciating the light banter. "You've earned the rest, Izuku. No harm in taking it easy for once," she said, her voice gentle but firm.Izuku nodded with a slight smile. "Of course."Izaku glanced up from his book, momentarily studying his brother before returning his attention to the page. The banter helped, but it still felt strange having Izuku around. He wasn't used to sharing his space with someone he barely knew.As silence settled back in, their mother broke it with a thoughtful expression. "You know," she began, "why don't you both head outside for a bit? Walk around the compound. I'm sure there's a lot that's changed since you've been away, Izuku. It could be good for you two to spend some time together."Izuku hesitated, sensing the subtle encouragement but also knowing that reconnecting with Izaku wouldn't be as simple as a walk. But he could see the logic in her suggestion—sometimes, just being around each other was a start.Izuku stood up, stretching his arms. "What do you say, Izaku? Feel like showing me around?"Izaku closed his book with a sigh, clearly not that excited. "Yeah, sure," he mumbled as he got up.They stepped outside, walking in silence for a bit. The air felt a little tense between them, neither quite knowing what to say.Izuku broke the quiet. "Wanna show me where the coffee shop is? I'm starving. Not sure if they moved it since I left."Izaku shrugged. "Yeah, there is. You used to go there a lot?""Pretty often," Izuku said. "Back during basic training, my team and I would hang out there sometimes. Waste some time between drills."Izaku raised an eyebrow as he eyed his brother, not really sure how to feel about that. "You got that much time during basic training? Didn't know they let you slack off."Izuku chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, not really. It wasn't that we had time to slack off—more like we stole a few minutes here and there. You know, between drills or after patrols. It wasn't a lot, but we made the most of it."Izaku smirked a little, starting to relax. "Figures. Thought they'd have you spar all day.""Pretty much," Izuku said, smiling. "But every now and then, you get lucky. Grabbing a quick bite at the coffee shop was kind of a treat."They walked in silence for a bit, but it felt a little more comfortable now, the tension starting to fade."So, you got any spots you hang out at?" Izaku asked, glancing over at his brother.Izuku shrugged again. "There are some. But I mostly hang around the compound. Nothing special." Looking around, he continued. "It's changed a lot since I was here. Guess we'll figure it out."As they walked, a voice called out from behind them. "Izu?"They turned around to see a teenager with long black hair, about the same age as Izuku, staring at him with a confused expression. His brow was furrowed, as if he wasn't quite sure whether it was really him."Yu?" Izuku repeated, a slight grin spreading on his face as recognition settled in. He moved a little faster now, closing the distance between them.Yu, still standing there with a skeptical look on his face, blinked a few times before his frown broke into a smile. "I can't believe it," he said, shaking his head. "It is you."The two of them met in the middle, exchanging a quick handshake and shoulder bump—something casual, but it spoke of familiarity. Yu hadn't changed much, just a little taller, maybe a bit more solid."Been a while," Izuku said, taking a step back to get a better look at his old friend."Yeah, no kidding," Yu replied, still smiling but clearly a bit taken aback. "What's it been? five, six years?""Something like that," Izuku nodded. "Feels longer though."Yu's gaze shifted to Izaku, who had been hanging back a little, watching the interaction but not saying much. The moment 'Yu' noticed, he gestured toward his younger brother. "Hey, guess you're his brother or sum, right?""Yeah, that's my little brother, Izaku," Izuku said, nodding toward him.Izaku stepped forward a bit, giving a small, polite nod. "Nice to meet you." he said casually, meeting Yu's eyes. There was an awkward tension in the air, the kind that always seemed to appear when people made assumptions about how close they should be.Yu studied Izaku for a second. "Am Yuji, nice to meet you too, Izaku." His smile softening into something more thoughtful. "Didn't know he had a brother," turning to izuku, he said, "How old is he?"Izuku glanced at Izaku for a moment before answering. "He's two and a half years old.""Two, huh?" Yu said, nodding as if doing the mental math."Was it when...?" Yu trailed off, his expression turning neutral, as if he was trying to piece together something from the past.Izuku's face stiffened slightly, but he nodded. "Yeah. Around that time." His tone was quiet, and for a moment, the air between them grew heavy.Izaku, still standing a little off to the side, didn't say anything, but he could feel the shift in the conversation. He fully understood what they were talking about, the disappearance of his brother correlating with his birth was something that was not as oblivious as it should've been.Yu's eyes flickered between the two brothers, his expression faltering as he realized the weight of the conversation. "Right..." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "That... must've been tough."Yu cleared his throat, breaking the tension a bit. "Well," he said, glancing back at Izaku who's 80cm tall already with a small smile. "Kid's gonna be taller than you soon, Izuku."Izuku smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Maybe. He's got time."The silence that followed was brief, but it wasn't awkward. It was more like the weight of shared history hanging in the air."So," Yu said, breaking the moment, "what are you two up to now?""Just showing him around a bit," Izaku replied. "Things have changed around the compound. Thought it'd be a good time for a walk."Yu nodded. "Well, if you're heading down toward the coffee shop, I was just about to grab something. Wanna join me?"Izuku glanced at Izaku, who just gave another indifferent shrug. He wasn't against it, but he wasn't exactly excited about it either. Still, it was something to do, and the coffee shop was as good a place as any to kill some time."Sure," Izuku said. "We'll come with you."As the three of them walked, Yu started asking more questions about Izuku's time away—post affectation, the missions, how life had been outside the compound. Izuku answered in short but meaningful bursts, his tone easy but careful, like he was avoiding details without seeming evasive.Izaku, on the other hand, kept mostly quiet, listening in but not adding much to the conversation. He could tell there was a bond between his brother and Yu, something that ran deeper than just old friends catching up.Izaku absorbed the conversation between his brother and Yu, tuning in to the easy flow of their shared history. The words "basic training" and "theater of operation" weren't unfamiliar to him—he knew Izuku had been assigned to Konoha while Yu had gone to Mist. But the specifics, the intensity behind those words, still felt distant. They were both talking like old war buddies, reminiscing about things that felt foreign to him.Izuku, despite keeping the conversation light, had clearly lived through things that had changed him. It was there in the way he spoke—short, sharp answers, leaving out just enough to avoid going too deep. But there was a calmness in his tone, a sense that he had made peace with whatever had happened during his time away.Yu, on the other hand, seemed more carefree. He spoke with more energy, cracking a few jokes about Mist and how miserable the higherups were there. But even then, there was a layer of understanding beneath his words, like they both knew there were parts of their missions that wouldn't be discussed out loud."So, Konoha, huh?" Yu said, glancing at Izuku with a raised eyebrow. "Heard it's not as bad as Mist, but still... tough gig."Izuku nodded, his expression neutral. "It had its moments.""Moments," Yu repeated with a chuckle. "Just remembered how you were before all of this .""And you picked what I left down" Sighed Izuku, earning a roar of laughter by Yuji.As they neared the shop, Izuku asked. "When did you get the recall order?" Voice casual but his eyes sharp, scanning Yu's face for any tell. "Saw a lot of old faces when I gave my report yesterday."They arrived at the shop soon after, the familiar scent of freshly brewed tea and grilled food filling the air as they stepped inside. The place hadn't changed much—it still had the same cozy atmosphere that Izuku remembered from years ago.Yu leaned back in his chair, his smile faltering just a little at the shift in the conversation. "About three months ago," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Got the notice, packed up, and made my way back here. You know how it is. Not a lot of warning."Izuku nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Figured."The two of them exchanged a glance that spoke volumes, something unspoken passing between them—a shared understanding about what "recall orders" really meant. It wasn't just about coming home. It was usually about something bigger, something that meant the missions outside were wrapping up, and something new was on the horizon.Izaku, sitting quietly beside them, couldn't help but feel the tension beneath their words. He understood enough to know that whatever "recall" meant, it wasn't just a casual return. It was serious—another layer of the life his brother had lived that he still couldn't fully grasp.Yu, sensing the weight in the air, tried to lighten things up again. "Man, it's been a parade of old faces, though," he said, smirking a bit. "Feels like a reunion. Just waiting on the good old squad to show up and make this place feel even smaller."Izuku gave a small smile but didn't say much in response. His mind seemed to be elsewhere.Yu noticed the silence and glanced at Izaku, his grin softening a little. "Sorry, kid, we're probably boring you with all this talk. Must sound like a bunch of old men griping about work."Izaku shook his head, trying to brush it off. "It's fine," he muttered. "I get it."But did he really? While the world his brother and Yu were talking about felt somehow... familiar, but it was one that Izaku hadn't been part of—maybe someday he would eventually.Yu leaned forward, his voice more genuine this time. "You ever think about following in Izuku's footsteps?" he asked, his tone more curious than anything else. "CSA life isn't easy, but... you've got the blood for it. Could be a good fit for you."Izaku hesitated, glancing at Izuku, who was watching him quietly. He knew the question was coming eventually, but he still wasn't sure how to answer. Everyone except his direct family expected him to follow his brother's path."I don't know," Izaku finally said, shrugging. "Maybe."Yu nodded, not pressing the matter. "Fair enough. You've got time to figure it out."Izuku, still quiet, finally spoke up. "It's not something you decide on a whim," he said, his tone measured. "But if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."Izaku nodded, but he wasn't sure if that conversation would ever really happen.Yu leaned back in his chair, breaking the silence. "So, Izuku, what's the plan? You staying long, or just passing through?"Izuku shrugged and took a sip of his drink. "Not sure. They haven't given me much info. Just a quick debrief. I'll stick around the compound for a bit, see what happens.""Yeah, sounds about right," Yu said. "No one's telling me much either. Feels like something's brewing, though. Bringing everyone back like this can't just be for nothing."Izuku shifted the conversation back. "What about you, Yu? You sticking around?""For now," Yu replied. "Tryin' to link up with Mei and see what this is all about. Plus, i'd probably hanging around the training grounds, keeping sharp. You should come by sometime. Might be good to see you in action again." He grinned, glancing at Izaku. "Maybe show the kid a thing or two."Izuku chuckled. "Maybe. We'll see."Izaku couldn't help but feel a mix of curiosity and excitement. He'd been told about his brother's skills, but seeing him in action was something he wasn't sure he was ready for. Still, he had to see Chakra in action.After they finished their drinks, they stood up to leave. Yu clapped Izuku on the back. "Take it easy, man. We'll catch up soon.""Yeah, you too," Izuku said, nodding.As Yu walked away, Izaku and Izuku headed back toward the compound. The silence between them felt easier now, not as awkward as it had been before."You doing okay?" Izuku asked, glancing at his younger brother."Yeah, I'm fine," Izaku replied. "Just... a lot to think of.""I get it," Izuku said with a small smile.They continued walking quietly, but for the first time in a while, it didn't feel so uncomfortable. There was still a lot they hadn't talked about, but just being together seemed to be enough for now.