Chapter Text
Izu wakes up with a groan. Why does everything hurt? Images from the test flash across her eyelids. She jerks up, then groans at the pain in her back from the movement.
"Serves you right."
Izu looks over to see her dad sitting in a chair next to her and looking very unamused. "Uh… hi, Dad…"
He continues to glare.
"I think I passed?" She tries for a shaky smile and a pained shrug.
Still glaring.
"Um, I'm sorry?"
"Oh, you're sorry, are you? Sunshine Child, you nearly gave me a heart attack! I had to just sit and watch as my only daughter climbed a skyscraper sized robot and then watch as she fell off of it! "
She rubs the back of her neck, eyes averted. "You saw that huh? I uh, I didn't know you'd be watching…"
Her dad stands from his chair. "That's not the problem!" It's important to know that her dad, Aizawa Shota, does not yell. In the almost year that he has had her, her father has never yelled at her. But there is a first time for everything. "What were you thinking?! You could have gotten killed!" Izu winces at his volume and he takes a deep breath before sitting back down. "I'm sorry for yelling. You just… you scared me. I promised you I would never let anyone hurt you again and you go and almost… When I saw you falling, it reminded me of the second time we met, when I stopped you from jumping. But this time, this time I couldn't catch you. I just…" Tears begin to brim in her fathers eyes and Izu can't take this. If her dad doesn't yell, he absolutely doesn't cry.
Ignoring the pain, Izu rolls from her bed and collapses in her father's arms. His arms automatically settle around her. "Dad, I'm sorry. I really really am. I wasn't thinking, I just knew I needed to stop the robot before it hurt anyone. I didn't realize how unstable I had made it and then it exploded and I just…fell. I'm really sorry that I scared you though. I promise to use my head better next time."
He sighs. "It's okay. I promise not to freak out so much next time. I know first hand how dangerous this career path you've chosen is, I just never expected that much danger out of just the entrance exam ." Izu laughs at that and they separate, still holding each other's arms. "Now, let's go get your brother."
—
Her brother wasn't quite as upset about her dangerous stunt as her dad was, but that's probably only because he didn't see it first hand like her dad. Toshi still thought she was an idiot for doing it though.
"How can you be such a genius and yet do something so dumb?" He teases her as they head home.
"First of all, not a genius, I'm just smart. Second of all, I was in the moment! It was the best idea I had at the time and I'm sorry!" She sighs, exasperated with the men in her life.
"You have to admit, though, it was a pretty stupid idea."
"Yes! I get it! Can we please move on?!" Izu throws her arms up and then rounds on Toshi. "You know about my grand escapades, what did you do during the practical exam?"
Toshi goes pink. "Well, uh, heh, about that…"
She raises an eyebrow at her brother. "What did you do…?"
"First, you have to understand that I was at a serious disadvantage given that my quirk doesn't work on freaking robots! "
"I don't even have a quirk and I did fine! What. Did. You. Do?"
"It's not that bad!" Toshi mirrors his sister's earlier action and throws his hands up in the air in exasperation. "I just, I didn't focus too much on the robots themselves. I mean, I destroyed a few with my capture weapon, but I spent most of the time in the shadows pulling and pushing people out of danger. Especially with some idiot exploding every robot in sight without care for where the debris fell." Toshi gives an irritated look but it changes to concern when he turns to face his sister.
Izu has gone white at the mention of explosions. It's been so long, she almost forgot. She can feel, almost like in a dream, Toshi shaking her shoulder. His voice is so distant as he calls her name and then calls for their dad in front of them. But she doesn't really register any of it.
He was there.
He might make it in.
Why wouldn't he make it in? He's always been amazing.
But… if he makes it in… will he…? He can't… unless… but then… and she's been so… but he could… would he even… she's changed so much… he might… he's not an idiot though… Dad said… and Nedzu… but then… what if… what iF?!
"-zu. Izu, can you hear me? Breathe, please. I need you to take some deep breaths. That's it. One more. Good job. You can do this." Her vision clears and her dad is kneeling in front of her. Tears spring up in her eyes.
"D-dad!" She surges forward and falls into his waiting arms.
"I've got you, don't worry. I've got you." Her dad strokes her hair as she cries. "When you feel able, can you tell me what hurt you?"
It takes a few minutes, but she eventually calms down enough to be coherent. She takes a step back, but her father keeps his hands on her arms to keep her grounded in the moment.
"T-Toshi saw him! He applied to UA! What if… what if he gets in?!"
"Who, Sweetheart?"
"K-Kacchan…"
Toshi looks incredibly confused, but her dad understands. "We never told him he couldn't apply, but, Sunshine Child, what he did to you is on his record now. It would take a miracle for him to make it into the hero course right now. I'm not going to make any promises, but trust Nedzu to protect you. That rat loves you. He won't let you be hurt by your past."
Izu nods and takes another deep breath to try and stifle the remaining tears. "Nedzu will make the right choice. He will. I-I trust him."
Her dad gives her a contemplative look before he seems to decide something and continues. "Now, I need to warn you of something. Because of what he did, we, the detective and I, required him to take anger management courses." Izu nods, she remembers. "Depending on how well he did in them, and if his mother had the good sense to put that boy in therapy, he might still make it into the General Education course at UA." Her eyes go wide, fear at what her dad is leading to creeping in. "If he does get in and then wins the Sports Festival, he might be able to make it into the hero course. I need you to prepare yourself for that."
Izu is silent for a good minute, letting the information sink in. Kacchan has never let a challenge deter him from his goals. He would have thought to cover all his bases. If he isn't allowed into the hero course right away, he'll definitely try to get in through the Sports Festival. There's no question about that. But… he has to have changed, at least a little, right? He was forced to go to those courses.
She looks into her dad's eyes and nods. She can prepare herself for this. A hero can't let past trauma stop them, so she won't let this stop her.
—
"They're here!" Toshi calls into the apartment. Izu drops her drawing, startling Mochi, and races to the living room where her brother waits with two envelopes from UA.
—
"Aizawa Hitoshi, This is your hero academia!"
—
"Aizawa Izu, This is your hero academia!"