"Congratulations!" We all cheered when Toya came in. I've been working on calling him by his actual name recently because the first time I saw him respond to Toya his whole face lit up.
Today was his first day at the new job and Mom had made his favorite, tuna salad, yuck. But for today it's my favorite. He got a job at Sir Nighteye's office as a receptionist. The fact that he doesn't want to use his fire quirk was confusing to the pro hero but he also didn't ask. I think the main reason he hired him though was the fact that All Might adopted him and I know that right now he is really confused about how he didn't know that would happen. When he saw All Might's future all the way to his death, using his quirk. Actually all of us confuse the hell out of him.
"You really didn't have to," Toya smiled and I swear I saw a few tears but he turned away complaining about a hair getting in his eye.
"Nonsense, this is a big milestone in your life. We must celebrate!" Dad cheered, holding up a couple cases of soda to go with dinner. When he set them down he released his quirk letting everyone see his usual self.
"Sorry, I must be a little more tired than usual," he chuckled nervously but my three adopted brothers just hugged him.
"Relax Dad, it's just us anyway. Save your energy for later," Toshi gently lectured. And I saw Dad relax, he hadn't told them about his injury but I had warned them that he was usually always using his quirk and that they shouldn't be surprised if one day they see him get a lot smaller. Good thing I did too, I would have hated to see the hurt on his face from them freaking out.
When we were done eating Mom brought out a tub of lemon ice cream and this time Kacchan and I really did cheer, finally something actually edible! My brothers looked at the yellow cream confused but instead of asking questions they just took the bowl offered to them and it was only moments before everyone was happily eating.
"This is my new favorite," Toya hummed and most of us laughed.
Once everything was cleaned up we were starting to relax before I brought up a very important point.
"So what's your hero name? Surely you didn't use Dabi, right? I get the whole cremation thing I really do, but you are free now," I wasn't letting him go and I saw the back of his neck turn red.
"Umm," he hesitated.
"That's right, you don't need to think of that bastard anymore. You picked a good one didn't you?" Kacchan elbows him and now his ears are bright red.
"Oh! Do tell us! What's my big boy's new identity?" Mom cooed happily while Dad chuckled and nodded for him to go ahead.
"I went with Phoenix, I didn't really want to let Dabi go because I was literally burned in my own fire but," he hesitated a moment but Mom only gently pulled his arm to her. "I'm not just ashes anymore, I'm so much more. So in a way I guess I was reborn in the ashes so I thought that Phoenix would be a good name."
"That sounds amazing, my boy," Dad smiled and Mom was crying about how beautiful it was and now his face was really red but he also wasn't hiding it anymore. Progress. Some real progress.
***
It's Sunday morning and Kacchan and I just got in from China. Looks like we won't be getting any real sleep today. Kacchan plopped onto the couch and just let out a groan while I made my way to the kitchen and directly to the coffee pot. I saw Aizawa Sensei standing there but I didn't really think anything about it while I poured myself a mug.
The smell was a little strong but it is ten in the morning so it's probably been a bit overcooked, which is fine. I took a sip and immediately spit it out.
"Who in the fuck?" I hissed and I saw Kaminari take a large step back.
"It was Aizawa Sensei, I swear I haven't touched it since last time!" He quickly held up both hands and took a couple steps back.
"You," I pointed at our teacher, gritting my teeth to keep from saying anything too colorful. "Do not touch the coffee pot ever again or I will break the one in the teacher's lounge." I didn't bother to listen to what he said after the fact and simply dumped the rest of the pot down the drain before thoroughly cleaning the whole coffee maker and making an extra large pot of my own blend. Sprinkling some chili powder in with the freshly ground coffee beans.
Shoto was coming into the kitchen and I waved him over and asked him to put some ice into the two shakers for me. Once the coffee was done brewing I went about adding the extra ingredients into the shakers; some carefully measured coconut with hazelnut extract and just a hint of cinnamon and a bit of mint, before pouring the freshly made hot coffee into them and started shaking them.
"Five glasses," I motioned towards the cabinet and Shoto got them for me. And watched as I poured them without spilling any and I pushed one to each him and our teacher. "Don't you dare, ever fucking touch the coffee pot again," I glared at our teacher who seemed more curious at my hostility than upset. "The other one is for Toshi," I told them before grabbing mine and Kacchan's, walking back to the living room where Kacchan was all but asleep on the couch.
I handed him the glass and after a sip of the iced coffee he scooted forward just enough for me to sit in his lap with my legs around his waist.
"Umm?" I heard someone say but I didn't care to look up to see who before putting my glass down and snuggling into Kacchan, his arms around my shoulders. I let OFA charge through me, gently setting off a small electrical charge before relaxing again and closing my eyes. Half of my iced coffee was already gone before I even got to the living room and the fact that my empty glass is now sitting next to Kacchan's half empty one be damned. I'm not getting back up without a short nap.
***
"Wait!" I woke up hearing Shoto yell but by the time I opened my eyes Sero and Ashido were falling back and crying out on the floor.
"Hmmm? What?" I grumbled, wiping at my face only for Kacchan to curse under his breath at being woken up for something probably stupid.
"Somethin' wrong?" I asked, still trying to dig the sleep out of my eyes while turning to face Shoto and Toshi.
"No, go back to sleep. Everything is just fine," Toshi answered first and I nodded, accepting his answer before letting OFA thrill through me yet again before settling down to sleep again.
"What the hell was that?" Sero hissed, trying to keep his voice down but I could hear the rawness from being zapped clearly. Serves him right, waking us up like that.
"It's how they sleep when they aren't sure how safe they'll be or when they have been to vigilant recently, we found them one night when they were on a mission nearby and well," Toshi paused for a moment. "I can still taste the color green, I don't really like apples anymore," I heard him shutter at the end and now I feel a little bad. That was only a couple weeks ago.
"Hmmm, sleep," Kacchan grumbled in my ear, probably feeling my muscles tighten in response to Toshi's words.
"They don't feel safe here?" Uraraka asked and I could hear the sadness in her voice and now I feel guilty again.
"No, I think they are just too tired to trust themselves right now," Dad answered and I heard murmuring in the room as everyone realized he was there at the same time. He must have snuck in at some point.
"Sorry didn't mean to startle you, their mothers sent me to check on them when they didn't respond to their texts. They must have been up the whole time they were gone, I heard they were hit with a quirk to prevent sleeping for the mission, it was a very sensitive case," he explained and I snuggled into Kacchan's neck, letting myself relax further now that Dad was around.
"You've seen them do this before?" Iida asked, curiously. I guess he couldn't stay away from something so odd, even if it was an invasion of privacy.
"Oh, it's pretty normal for them to be together. They've been together since they were born after all," Dad answered matter of factly and I kind of wish I could roll my eyes at him right now. Talking like he was actually there like this. But a small part of me wishes that he had been. How different would life have been if I had a present and loving father? I can only dream though.
***
"I wouldn't have a quirkless kid, you must have cheated," the all too familiar words sounded while I cried. Dad was by the door, screaming at Mom again.
"Daddy? Don't, Mommy didn't do anything wrong!" I cried trying to block him from Mommy again.
"Of course, you would hide behind the child. So what if he has curly hair? He isn't mine. Don't you dare ask for anything, you won't get a penny!" Dad was screaming again.
"Hisashi! He is just a baby!" Mom quickly pulled me away when I saw a light in his mouth. The fact that Mom and I were both crying even as she defended us didn't seem to bother him at all.
"Pathetic, how did I ever think that having a child with you would be strong when you're so weak?" He snarled before turning away and walking out of our lives. He never once came back, only paying the required child support after DNA testing proved that I was actually his son but then again, I never saw him again.
"Why doesn't Daddy love me?" I asked Mom one day. It hasn't been very long and she was finally home from court that took way too long.
"Oh honey, he just isn't the right daddy for you," Mom whispered, the tired lines under her eyes were deep enough that even I could see them as a four year old child.
Thoughts about how Kacchan has left me behind came to mind. How he teased and was generally mean to me but he never once brought up my dad. Even he wasn't that cruel and I couldn't help hoping that one day we could be friends again. "No one will ever want me." The words made me feel hollow and I could feel myself shaking while I cried all alone in my room.
At least I had All Might, so long as I never actually met him he couldn't let me down too, right? But then again he is the most amazing hero, so even if I do meet him I'm sure he would still be my hero.
"I wish I had a daddy like All Might," I whispered to myself while I hugged my All Might plushie.