Third person pov

Shoto took to daycare better than Etsu could've hoped. 

He was incredibly bright, leaving the caretakers in charge of his small class infinitely impressed. Etsu was infinitely proud. She'd scoop him up and pepper his little face with kisses. He didn't shriek and giggle like other kids might, melting into it and letting himself be hugged. 

He was never one to turn down physical affection from those he was close to. Etsu hoarded any assignments he brought home, saving his drawings to frame so she could tackle anyone who came over in the future and force them to look at them. Shoto had basically become her entire personality, and she wasn't filing any complaints about this fact.

They weren't questioned further about whether or not he was the same Shoto Todoroki who'd gone missing, even though he clearly was. Three months into school and nothing had been reported. There were no signs that they'd be contacting anyone. 

It was astonishing to really sit down and think about it. Etsu was beyond perplexed, and Tensei was no better. How had no one noticed? Etsu hadn't even tried. Absolutely no effort. His surname remained Todoroki, his hair was literally split down the middle with two shockingly bold colors that clashed like Christmas, and his pair of quirks naturally remained unchanged.

Whatever blessing of concealment had fallen upon them, Etsu was going to take that shit and run with it. Things finally seemed like they were settling. She'd saved up enough to put down a deposit on a real apartment that was theirs, with a real kitchen and bedrooms. The building Tensei had found wasn't the best, but it wasn't a complete shithole either. 

The owner knew Tensei vaguely and was apparently indebted to his parents for saving his daughter, so he agreed to turn a blind eye to Etsu's age so long as she kept quiet and didn't cause any issues. Etsu had no qualms with that. It was honestly a miracle how well the pieces had fallen into place.

"It's a ramen box." Tensei sulked, looking at Etsu's apartment with mild disdain. Etsu arched a brow at him. Had he seen where they'd been living before? The standards of this guy truly never ceased to amaze her. What a tool. "I'm sorry I couldn't find anything better." 

"Tensei. We were homeless." Etsu said flatly. "The risk of us getting caught and arrested here is pretty slim. There's a real kitchen, and Shoto can finally have his own room. It's better than we could've hoped for. The neighborhood isn't even that shady."

Tensei flinched like she'd just said a slur, earning an eyeroll from the younger girl for his troubles. It was easy to forget Tensei was rich with how casual he acted all the time. That, and he could burp louder than a lion could roar. Definitely didn't help the image his preppy background constructed. Etsu sighed.

"We literally heard gunshots two seconds ago." Tensei pointed out in a tone near accusing. It was weird to think how close Etsu had managed to get to him. She'd never been one to keep friends, but tables tended to turn. 

"And if not for you I'd probably have been the one firing them. Let's keep things on the bright side, yeah?" She patted his shoulder. He gave her a look but seemed willing to drop the subject. Good. She'd have kicked him out otherwise. She was grateful and all, but her patience was reserved for children and children only. Everyone else could go fuck themselves. "Besides, now I finally have a place to hang Shoto's assignments."

She puffed out her chest like a proud mother bird, preening. Tensei hid a snicker very poorly, as though he didn't hiss at anyone who threatened to take Tenya's art from him. 

Etsu had ordered a couple mattresses for her and Shoto. Delivery was extra, but she somehow doubted she was going to convince an UBER driver to let her strap them to the top of their ride. She and Tensei stepped to the side as the pair of delivery personnel struggled to get Etsu's bed through the door. 

The dark-haired girl had to wince and look away when Shoto and Tenya darted past them, nearly causing the pair of sweating men to absolutely eat shit in her new entryway as a result. Tensei let out a horrified gasp, spewing out apologies and rushing after the two boys. Etsu shook her head, watching him go.

Honestly, how had her life come to this? If you'd told Etsu she and some random kid she found in a hospital would be living it up in a sick new casa, she'd have called bullshit right away. It felt like her derailed life had finally managed to crawl its way back to the track it was supposed to be on. 

Etsu wasn't saying it was weird or anything. Oh no, never. She was saying it was absolutely batshit insane and thinking about it too hard made her think she was having a fever dream, that's all. It was like she'd finally reached the peak of this rollercoaster she'd unknowingly boarded and was now plummeting down the slope. 

She was actually doing well in school, had a kid, had a stable job, and now, an apartment. Way to jumpstart adulthood. 

"Hey... was that the missing kid? Endeavor's youngest?" One of the delivery drivers asked, scratching the back of his neck in a confused manner. "I-I mean, I'm just sayin' he kinda looks like him..." 

Etsu tried not to let out too heavy of a sigh, giving him a carefully-practiced look that displayed flat question. The guy flushed a little at the expression, eyes darting away. Somewhere else in the apartment, there was a slight bang from where the other driver had to have tipped the mattress onto its frame. 

'Kinda' was an understatement considering that yes, that was Endeavor's youngest son running around like a headless chicken. How many kids had a scar over one eye, two different colored irises, and hair split down the middle? 

He was a walking Canadian flag. Etsu wasn't sure if she should feel pity for the shuffling man before her or just sheer stupefaction. It was seriously astonishing. Maybe it was because she was on the inside of things, but she could never see how she'd ever look at Shoto in another situation and not know he was the kid there was a national hunt for. Like, come on. 

"Who?" Etsu asked. The man blinked.

"The little one with the red and white hair." He gestured towards the hall. Tenya had been helping Shoto decorate his room and bring up his few belongings. Tenya had also very kindly pulled a few of his posters down for Shoto to have, and then had insisted they buy some more on top of that. 

Tensei hadn't had any choice but to cave. Now the two little boys were on a decorating spree that somehow required them to sprint around the apartment and down the stairs outside every ten minutes. She wouldn't ask. 

"What about him?" Etsu asked. Tensei's head poked out from the hall. She gave him a look. If he ruined this for her-- which he almost had in the past a few times-- she'd skin him alive with a potato peeler. And then get a cat to feed the scraps to.

"Is he the missing boy? Shoto Todoroki?" The delivery driver leaned forward a bit, eyes eager. His partner came around the corner, seeming irritated that he'd been abandoned. Etsu wasn't paid enough to deal with this. This guy probably wasn't either. Kin. 

"Is who the missing boy?" Etsu gasped, leaning forward to match his energy. She should go into theatre. 

He looked taken aback. Idiot. Okay, maybe that was rude. But he was also an idiot. You absolutely could not deny that. You see a child with the exact appearance as a missing one, same age and everything, and you just decide you're not sure if you're seeing things right? 

Shoto was literally a chimera, or at least had some weird, mosaic split in genetics. Divided down the middle. How many of those did you see running around? Because Etsu had seen a grand total of one so far. 

The guy looked annoyed. Good. Etsu was too. Not that she could really fault him for asking, but she was literally his kidnapper. Any sane kidnapper was going to evade questions at all costs, right? That's what she kept telling herself. And it's not like she regretted it. 

Shoto was hers now, so it was sorta too late. It had been like, several months now and no one had taken him from her. Didn't that default into him being hers? No? Maybe? Etsu wasn't going to dwell on the logistics of her illegal actions too much. It would only give her a headache. 

(And Tensei a panic attack. He was undoubtedly to be considered an accomplice this late in the game.)

"The boy you have running around, with the red and white hair! Is he Shoto Todoroki?!" The delivery driver was a little too close now. Ew. Tensei was on standby at least. Not that she wasn't going to nail this guy in the crotch if he laid a hand on her.

"Sorry, I don't know a Shoto." Etsu shrugged helplessly. 

The man exhaled sharply, pulling back from her abruptly. His partner rolled his eyes at him, grumbling something about how they were going to get reported if he kept harassing their clients. 

"Shoto, let's hang the Ingenium one by your bed!" Tenya shouted firmly from somewhere in the apartment. Ah.

The two drivers stared at Etsu. Etsu stared back. How convenient. Tensei looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. Good for him, she guessed. Couldn't be her. 

Did she look like the type to back down to some slightly-overweight forty year old man who was unfortunate enough to be running errands for a mattress store that probably paid just above minimum wage? She was thirteen, not a pussy.

"...Right." The guy's partner ended up saying, grabbing his buddy by the elbow before he could say another word. "The mattress is in the frame, ma'am. You have a nice day." 

"You too." Etsu gave a bright smile as they went. 

She kicked the door shut after them without caring how rude it was, whirling on Tensei soon after. He was standing there, still as a tree. She could see the sweat beading his brow from here. He looked at her with the same wide-eyed look he got every time someone asked about Shoto whilst he was around, which wasn't a lot. Etsu cocked a brow at him challengingly.

And then he burst out laughing, which she guessed was as good of a reaction as any. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So Etsu likes to think she's like, a decent-ish person. She's clearly not heartless, at the very least. She also takes things in stride! She prides herself on being a level-headed and fairly mature teenager, despite all odds. Etsu has always been able to pick things up and run with them. 

She'd picked up Shoto and ran with him. Still was, actually. It was going great, by the way. Thanks for asking. He was happy, healthy. He'd even grown another inch or so, much to Tenya's panic. 

The engine-legged boy took immense pride in being the taller of the two. He was chugging milk like it was his lifeblood these days. Almost as much as he drank orange juice to fuel his engines. It was adorable.

Back to the aching matter at hand, however. She can't let herself get distracted by the cuteness of her two children. It's some sort of minor holiday, meaning every school has decided that its a great idea to shut their doors and let everyone stay home. Which is great, honestly. Such a lovely idea. 

Except her work is cruel and unforgiving and gives her no slack whatsoever when it comes to time off, because they're assholes like that. Not that Etsu isn't thankful, but she's allowed to be spiteful right now. Especially considering that Tenya's parents are out of town and Tenya is busy with some of his hero shit. And Shoto had given her puppy eyes when he'd heard the news. Which means...

"We get to go to work with you?" Tenya seemed awed by the very idea, and she couldn't find it in herself to do anything but smile at him. She was weak. She had agreed to watch him, and she was weak. "Are we allowed to do that?" 

She couldn't leave two five year old boys alone in the apartment. She couldn't stay either, or else they soon wouldn't have an apartment left after her work mercilessly fired her. Etsu tried not to scrub her eyes from the stress of it all despite having partially done this to herself. Tenya really wasn't the issue, though. Shoto leaned up against her side, displaying his constant need to stay close. 

"No. It's against the rules." Shoto read her mind. "But we are going to anyway." 

That was about right.

He was holding her hand, he and Tenya wearing matching outfits. It was truly the cutest thing she'd ever seen. She'd take more pictures if she wasn't in such emotional distress. Shoto was so nonchalant about it too, as though she wasn't about to keel over and die. 

Taking a kidnapped child to a hero agency? She wasn't religious, but she was about to fall to her knees and start praying. This job was her only lifeline right now. She'd barely managed to land it, and it was the only thing that was going to pay enough for her to keep up with rent, give Shoto everything he needed, and save a bit on the side in case they needed it. 

"Like a secret mission?" Tenya whispered. His little face scrunched up all of a sudden, his voice raising soon after. "Does that mean we're breaking the rules? Because I don't believe--"

"No, no. It'll be okay." Etsu breathed out, shaking her head before he could launch into his little rant. "As long as you guys are on your best behavior, it'll be fine. Just don't tell anyone you came from the hospital, Shoto." 

She'd seen other agency workers bring their kids in as well, unable to afford daycare or not bothering. As long as the kids were good and didn't interrupt the workflow, nobody batted an eye. 

Etsu wasn't worried about their behavior. It was Shoto's appearance there. The fact that his missing poster was literally tacked to the bulletin board right behind her head. The obvious fact that he did not belong to her in any capacity, at least biologically.

Tenya straightened like a little soldier, which made her want to scoop him up and coo. He was so adorable. He had such a dynamic with Shoto, but it was so hilarious to watch. They were truly the best of friends. Tenya had already stayed several nights over. 

She knew that meant it was only a matter of time before his parents started wanting to meet them, but Shoto had too much fun for her to ever ask they tone it down. Tensei was also weak to it, sulking every time he brought Tenya over. Or maybe he was just upset his baby brother was clearly starting to favor her over him. 

(A fact she definitely wasn't smug about. At all.)

Shoto glanced up at her with minor concern. He was a lot more worried about getting caught than she was. His paranoia made him clingy. Not that she minded that. She would gladly cuddle and squeeze him all he wanted. 

He was too precious to deny. The absolute light of her life. How had she lived before him? Just looking at his cute little face made her want to melt. She'd become a criminal mastermind before letting him get taken. She'd rather not, but if it ever came to that... well, decisions would be made.

"We will be on our best behavior!" Tenya saluted. "If anyone asks, we will tell them Shoto spawned from your stomach."

"Good, that's--" Etsu stopped, gaze snapping down to the boy. He beamed at her, his glasses slipping down his nose slightly. She glanced at Shoto, who nodded almost solemnly. "Spawned?" 

"From your stomach." Shoto agreed. Etsu paused for a moment, nodding slowly. 

Nobody at the agency knew her exact age. She always implied it was eighteen, but everyone who worked there knew that wasn't the case. Just looking at her was a dead giveaway. There was no way they were going to believe she popped out a candy cane that looked nothing like her in any capacity. 

But again, Shoto was hers in all the ways that mattered, end of story. She wondered how long it would be before he was too embarrassed to hold her hand. He was growing so fast, she could hardly stand it. 

"...Right. Sounds good, boys." Etsu grabbed her keys with a shake of her head. It would be fine, wouldn't it? It would be fine. "I'll try to keep you from getting too bored. Your mission today is to hide Shoto's identity."

"Yes!" Tenya clenched his fist, raising it slightly. Shoto nodded quietly, squeezing her hand a little tighter. Etsu took a deep breath. Right. This would be fine. Absolutely, one-hundred percent fine. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kid, why do you have Endeavor's missing brat?" 

Etsu spit out the water she'd been in the middle of taking a sip of. God dammit. 

The day had gone well. People rarely came into the front area of the agency, which is where she worked. No one had really seem Shoto or Tenya. The two boys had spent a lot of time reading and coloring, as well as whispering in hushed tones about the 'secret mission' they were currently on. 

Etsu had given over her phone to help keep them entertained, which they had no qualms with. The very few individuals who'd spotted the kids had spared them all but a glance before grumbling and wandering off. 

They were just as dead as she was, working for this wringer of an agency. They couldn't bring themselves to think too hard about the very obviously abducted child in the corner. It was a relief.

They'd all eaten lunch together at a small park nearby, allowing Shoto and Tenya both to run around and get out their pent up energy for about an hour before they had to go back. Now the pair had somehow managed to pile into her lap in a way that didn't prevent her from getting to her computer's keyboard. 

Etsu was impossibly smitten with the two kids, so who was she to refuse? Shoto curled up in his usual spot, his left side nestled against the crook where her arm met her torso, warming her to the core. The arm of her rolling chair had to be digging into his back, but he didn't seem to mind. 

Tenya didn't either, sprawled out and nearing asleep. She shamelessly admitted to snapping a quick picture of the three of them all together to send to Tensei. A maybe a few more of the two kids. A few dozen, even.

Not the issue. Right. One of the underground heroes that worked out of here-- Pencil Lead or something-- was staring down at her with a flat look that made her feel like she'd just been shot in the sternum. 

She rarely saw him, and had never had to speak to him before. He was one of the younger pros, coming by only when strictly necessary. He hated this place as much as most people did. Of course he'd come in today of all days, and of course he'd see the missing poster hanging right behind her head. 

And the adjoining child in her lap. She should've brought a blanket to wrap him in. His ability to regulate his own temperature had caused it to slip her mind. Fuck. Genuinely, truly.

"He's hers." Tenya put absolutely no effort into trying to convince the man, saying it simply and refusing to move. 

Pencil Lead (really, what was his name again?) arched a brow, eyes flitting to Etsu's face. She arched one right back, wiping the water away from her mouth. Uh huh. Shouldn't have spit that out. Dead give away. Good job, Etsu. Stellar work.

"Right." The hero adjusted his weird scarf, looking like he'd just crawled out of a dumpster full of shit after not sleeping for four consecutive days. "So that's not Shoto Todoroki?"

There was absolute silence for a moment. He had an expression on his face that told Etsu it was a rhetorical question by all means. Shoto shriveled up, turning so that his face was smushed against Etsu instead. 

She felt her heart break as his little hand gripped at her shirt. Tenya seemed to notice his best friend's distress, sitting up slightly and glaring at the pro hero over the tops of his askew glasses. Lead face-- no that didn't sound right-- Erased Bread? Pacer Dread? No, the first one was closer. 

Either way, he didn't look the least bit amused by Tenya's attempt to be intimidating. Etsu wondered if she was going to have to book it if this guy decided to act on the realization that there was a kidnapped child here. 

"His name is Ikorodot." Tenya said firmly. Etsu paused. The underground hero continued to stare.

"It's... what?" Etsu had no idea what he'd just said.

"Iko-ro-dot." Tenya said with full confidence. Which was undoubtedly just 'Todoroki' backwards. 

Etsu inhaled slowly, one arm tightening slightly around Shoto. She turned her attention back towards the pro-hero, lips pressed together into a flat line and eyes somewhat pleading. The very same move she'd pulled on Tensei, but with less talking. 

She had a feeling her little run-around of questions wouldn't work on this guy. After the whole 'Ikorodot' thing, it was probably too late anyway. As though the water hadn't immediately tipped him off. 

Hell, none of that mattered anyway. He had split hair. There was a picture of him sitting behind her head. 

"...Right." Erased--... spread? She didn't know.-- said. He sighed, looking too tired for this, much to Etsu's luck. "Whatever. I'm not paid enough for this." 

Shoto curled up into an even smaller ball. Etsu rubbed his back comfortingly as the underground hero slapped a file down on her desk, flipping around to stalk off. Tenya huffed, draping himself over his half-and-half friend protectively. 

Etsu felt her lungs start functioning again as the man pried open the door, shuffling out like the last wisps of life had just been drained from him by this encounter. Relatable. Thank god it was an insomniac who'd noticed and not someone awake enough to care. Right, okay.

She looked down at the little boy sticking to her side. He peered up at her, mismatched eyes wide with question. She couldn't help but smile.

"Don't worry, Shoto." She hugged him to her a little tighter. "He's gone."

The words 'for now' hung in the remaining tension, but she didn't tell him that. 

~~

As always, read over 20 chapters ahead in the early access on the patreon on the thing. Or whatever idfk I have no idea what's happening y'all. Read up to chapter 26 on there. Here's a sneaky peeky of the next chapter: 

"Oh, it's just a homeless guy." Shoto frowned. Etsu slapped her hand over her mouth at the abruptness of his statement, and Eraser... fuck, she didn't know his name, froze. "We don't have any money for you."

"Shoto." Etsu swallowed a laugh. Eraser-guy gave the boy a withering stare, somehow managing to look more tired than he had two seconds ago.

"I don't want your money." Aizawa drawled. He watched the expression of confusion grow on the child's face and wondered why he'd bothered.