"Trauma is personal. It does not disappear if it is not validated. When it is ignored or invalidated the silent screams continue internally heard only by the one held captive. When someone enters the pain and hears the screams healing can begin."

― Danielle Bernock, Emerging With Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, And The LOVE that Heals

Months Later

"What the fuck did you say, Deku ?! I saw you spinning the bottle with your quirk!"

"I didn't! I'm not a cheater!"

Izuku had totally done it, but Bakugou would thank him for that latter, he was sure of it.

Or maybe not, but he should thank him.

Todoroki stared at the bottle in the centre with concentration, still trying to understand the principle of the game in vain, but participating anyway, because Izuku was there.

"I said playing truth and dare with Bakugou was a bad idea."

Izuku waved his hand toward Jirou for silence, his eyes fixed on Bakugou. It was like challenging a wild animal.

"It's just a kiss, Bakugou. Of course, you can always give up the challenge if it's too much for you."

"Fuck you, Deku! I'm going to kiss the shit hair because I'm not a coward!"

Poor Kirishima just looked around with a flushed expression, trying not to be strangled as Bakugou tugged at his shirt, both of them ignoring Kaminari between the two, who didn't know whether to laugh or runway from there.

Izuku wondered if he was seeing a kiss or a punch between mouths. It was hard to say. Kirishima made a startled sound, but grabbed Bakugou's shirt anyway and pulled him even closer.

The others around shouted in disarray. Izuku ignored his own red face with the scene. If he had known they were so eager he would have cheated on the game before. Maybe Bakugou would be less stressed, God knew he needed something good with all the mess that has happened in his life lately.

He patted himself in the back for it: "Let him never say I'm not a good friend."

Even Kaminari looked red now. Or maybe it was because they were practically on top of him.

"Really? In front of my salad? This is getting very explicit."

"I didn't say you needed to use your tongue, Bakugou."

Bakugou dropped the still dizzy Kirishima on the floor and put his finger on Izuku's face, his voice terribly serious, even with his hair a mess and the red colour of his face at the moment.

"I'm perfect at everything, Deku."

"You shouldn't play this kind of indecent game in the dorms! It goes against everything that should be done in a prestigious place-"

"Oh, mom Iida has arrived, the fun is over."

Mina threw her hands, everyone starting to disperse, apologizing to Iida.

Aizawa appeared at the door, looking around suspiciously, his eyes pausing on Bakugou and Kirishima.

"I don't know what happened before I arrived, but I don't want to know either. Izuku, time to go home."

"Oh no. Don't go!"

"The nerd lives on campus, just across two buildings, stop the fucking drama, round face.

Shoto stood with Izuku without speaking, his hand holding his. Aizawa put his head back on the door and measured him up and down, but said nothing. Shoto was good at ignoring when his guardian showed his distaste for their 'excessive attachment' on occasion.

Izuku was glad to know that Aizawa recognized lost causes.

The three left the dormitory toward their apartment. It was a situation that started just weeks ago. When the dormitories were set up for student safety after the Bakugou situation, the teachers also moved and Izuku, of course, had to tag along.

It was a good thing, Izuku no longer needed babysitters. When Aizawa had to patrol he could sleep in the dormitory with class A, even though "the talk" he had received about the rules he had to follow because of Shoto was something he wanted to forget. Just remembering it already made him feel mortified.

While the cause of the dormitories being built was a bad circumstance that he didn't even like to think about - having people he considered his own in danger was never good for his control, the ensuing camp attack and Bakugo's kidnapping wasn't a very fun week for anyone who had to deal with Izuku - the final situation in all was good.

He had everything and everyone he needed close.

He felt safe.

..................................................

Izuku's room was bigger than before, but not so much. It was crowded with books, notebooks and a computer because writing with his hands was still a challenge. It still had its coloured lamps, Mochi's bed next to his and a glass window, making the place always clear.

On his side table was a picture of himself and his mom, alongside others with Aizawa, Mochi, Shoto, Shinsou, the teachers, Nedzu, and the Bakugous, and even the whole class A.

He was making fond memories, as his mother wanted him to do.

Shoto went straight to his bed and threw himself there. He was another common point in the environment. Shoto was always there.

Izuku laid beside him, staring at the fluorescent stars stuck into the ceiling. Shinsou had painted a cat in the corner with coloured paint and he could see other doodles from other students who had decided to help him paint his room days ago. They had done a terrible job at it, but he loved it anyway.

Izuku sighed and leaned closer to Shoto, his quirk on his chest moving satisfied with their proximity. A warm hand touched his and he closed his eyes.

"Nedzu said that if I want I can enter to the hero course with a recommendation next year."

He felt Shoto move and opened his eyes, finding him staring at him sideways.

"Really?"

He nodded, smiling slightly in amusement.

"I'll have to start in the first year, probably. If I accept, you will be my senpai."

"And are you going to accept it?"

He sighed, looking back at the ceiling. And that was the big question.

"Maybe yes, maybe no."

Shoto didn't insist, just nodded as if his indecision made perfect sense. Although deep down he knew he would probably accept it. He didn't think he was a hero, but maybe one day he could be one.

"I know what you're thinking."

"I already said you're not a telepath, Shoto."

The other ignored his joke, sitting on the bed and bringing him along, hands on his face.

"You are a hero."

"I'm n-"

"You are always getting into other's business, Izuku. Just keep quiet and accept it, you're a hero to me"

Izuku scowled but didn't refute it. His quirk swayed happily in his chest, the warmth coming from Shoto was always comforting, but looking at his face this close was even more so, especially when he smiled. Shoto had such a beautiful smile.

"I don't think it's just my quirk who likes you."

Shoto looked at him curiously.

"I like you very much, Shoto. My quirk has good taste."

Shoto's lip quivered into a small smile, but he kept his voice flat.

"That's good, or I'd feel fooled by these last months."

"You're a good napping partner. We're like two elders, living the best of life, one nap at time."

Hearing his laugh was so rare, but it always made his heart lighter.

Shoto's face approached his softly, his hands touching his cheeks tenderly. A light kiss that made him sigh. He stared at him intently, his eyes very close, the same small smile as ever.

"For good luck."

Izuku felt light, very light. His quirk expanding in his chest, but there was no shortness of breath or pain, just lightness. He pulled Shoto for another kiss, this time long and deep, feeling his hands running through his hair.

He heard a meow near his face and frowned. Shoto withdrew his mouth quickly with an anxious voice.

"Hum, Izuku?"

Izuku opened his eyes and saw Mochi floating indignantly beside him, notebooks and lamps already reaching the ceiling. Shoto gripped his hands tightly, his legs rising off the floor. Izuku sprang to his feet and held him, both looking alarmed.

"Oh gosh. I think I was too happy. Has Uraraka ever been through this?"

Shoto stared at him in disbelief and he couldn't hold back anymore, laughing freely at his expression. He pulled him closer, his body still floating in the air and kissed him again.

"It seems like love can make you float, Shoto."

"Izuku!"

He looked toward the door and saw Aizawa inside his sleeping bag, floating and looking really unimpressed.

"Do you mind?"

He burst out laughing again.

He could get used to that kind of happiness. 

.................................................. ....................

Izuku descended the stairs two steps at a time, the laundry basket floating behind him. He could smell Katsudon, a nostalgia pounding in his chest. Aizawa had finally returned. And he brought food.

"Someone is excited."

"Yagi-san!"

He smiled as he saw the giant man sitting at the dining table, a cup of tea in front of him as Aizawa opened the food package.

"Young Midoriya. I decided to pay a visit."

He smiled excitedly, but before he could run to the man, Aizawa cut him off.

"Dirty laundry in the laundry first. And go wash your hands. "

He pouted, but obeyed anyway, listening intently to the conversation in the other room in the process. Something about Mirio and the last case of his internship, which had caused a stir in recent weeks and made Aizawa stay away for a long time. There was someone in the hospital that he needed to see about an uncontrolled quirk. That sure brought memories.

Izuku knew Mirio, not only because he was the older student who protected the others from him when he lost control that first time that he saw Bakugou, but because of his connection with Yagi.

Months after the situation in the clearing the hero had made him a proposal, which he had refused. There wasn't much surprise from the hero for his refusal, but he said he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't try.

Izuku was flattered that he had confided in him, found him capable, but he didn't regret the refusal. Mirio had been a good choice in his eyes. It helped that the older student visited them quite often. He enjoyed trying to cheer up Izuku if he noticed him down for whatever reason.

Mirio was essentially a good person. Maybe that's why even Aizawa liked him.

He came back almost running and heard a laugh from Yagi at that. He gave the skinny body a quick hug and received a pat on the head in return. Aizawa rolled his eyes at them, but Izuku knew that he was smiling. A little. Perhaps.

He was smiling inside, he was sure.

"After dinner, we have something to talk about."

"Hum? About what?"

"Someone else who might will be living in this house soon."

He stared at his guardian curiously, but also cautiously. He looked at Yagi in consideration and noticed him turn red.

"No, you Gremlin, it's not him. Her name is Eri."

Aizawa sighed and sat at the table.

"Problem child."

.................................................. ....................

When Izuku found out about Eri's situation, everything she went through, a sense of camaraderie hit him deeply. Eri, whose uncontrolled quirk on awakening had caused her father to cease to exist, who had been so hurt and used by others until she was rescued. Eri who hated and feared her quirk so much that she firmly believed it was a curse.

Izuku knew there wasn't much that wasn't going to do for her. Aizawa must have known that too, the man knew Izuku more than anyone.

It only took five seconds when he saw her. His quirk expanded in his chest in curiosity and affection, pulling a breeze on her face where she was hidden behind Mirio, clutching at his pant leg. It was not unlike what Izuku used to do with Aizawa in the beginning.

Well, he still did it sometimes.

Big, cautious red eyes stared at him and he smiled, kneeling to show her Mochi in his arms. She looked at Mirio and then at Aizawa until she finally got up the courage. The small, curious hand lifted slowly, sinking into the white fur, eyes widening at the purring vibration.

She looked at Izuku and there was a strange understanding between the two.

Izuku never imagined it was possible to love someone so fast and so easy.

.................................................. .....................

From there he could see the fireflies on campus, among the trees that covered the walkway. From afar there was the dormitory entrance and the main building.

Usually, in this position, he could send Morse code messages with the flashlight to the other students in the Class A dorm, especially Shoto. Occasionally he exchanged curses with Bakugou like this, but if Iida saw them doing it he felt very guilty, so he avoided it nowadays.

Izuku shifted better on the blanket, his back against the roof, Mochi on his lap. Inside his chest, his quirk pulsated happily.

Without all the previously negativity related to her, he could better understand the feeling now that he was not trying to choke it at all costs. He hadn't been able to recreate what Aizawa had said he saw after he fought Stain yet, but with Tokoyami's help, he could already see it. Expanding inside his chest like a balloon, opening to leak through his pores, taking shape around him, whitish and warm, surrounding him like a blanket.

Like his mom's hugs.

"I won't let them hurt you anymore."

He touched his chest and smiled. Maybe his quirk wasn't broken after all. They just needed each other to live.

"What are you doing up there, Problem child?"

Izuku looked down and saw Aizawa with his head out the window, looking at him in exasperation.

"It's a beautiful night."

The man rolled his eyes and mumbled something, but soon he had his legs out the window, easily climbing to the roof with him.

"What are you thinking about with that face?"

He laughed at the suspicious question, but it was fair. Izuku had no good track record in making good decisions.

"My quirk."

"Hmm."

The man looked at him with interest, lying tired beside him. Eri must have been sleeping. Since Mochi was here with him, today must have been a good night for her. The cat always seemed to know when the little girl needed her, just as she always knew with Izuku. It was common for Mochi to bring him to Eri.

The first nights had been hard. He remembered that his had been, too. Luckily, Eri, like him, had a group of people for her. She would be fine. She had Aizawa, Aizawa always made things better.

Izuku opened the blanket and settle some at his legs, receiving a satisfied sigh.

"And?"

"Maybe it's not exactly like Dark Shadow, but similar. In parts."

"That doesn't answer much. Your quirk makes no sense."

Izuku pouted. He moved closer and received a pat on the head.

"Problem child. With his problem quirk. Who is my problem now."

"Good thing erasers are good for erasing problems."

He received a painful pinch in his nose over this one, but he regretted nothing. Aizawa put his hands behind his head and observed with interest the pillows and sheets, lamps, and plush toys scattered on the roof.

"Hmm. So this is where you and Eri hide."

"She likes to see the fireflies."

Aizawa rolled her eyes at his defensive tone.

"And playing on the roof is very safe."

"You know that my quirk levitates things right? Just to confirm. With your age and everything-"

Aizawa tried to grab his nose again but he hid his face with a laugh.

"Cheeky little thing. Maybe I should separate you and my students, you're gaining attitude with all the bad influence. "

"You love us."

He saw him roll his eyes, but there was no denial there. One arm pulled him closer.

Mochi, napping on his chest, didn't even stir.

He felt safe, satiated as his quirk. Light, warm and satisfied.

Izuku no longer dreamed about the door.

Final notes

And that's it.The art of this chapter is also Clara's.I only have one thing to say at the end, as I wrote this I imagined the things I wanted to hear that would have helped me, but I wasn't sure if I could get it right. It is impossible to put yourself in other people's exact shoes because each one carries their pain differently. When I showed the conversation between Izuku and Aizawa to my wonderful friend Milly, she approved and said: "Aizawa basically used Scott McCall's psychology, that of the anchor, remember? Izuku is not alone in this, it is good that he knows it. He's so afraid of his quirk and it must be so refreshing to feel that he can have an anchor for everything he's going through. Not as something to stick you in place and keep you from moving on, but as something to keep you from drifting and getting lost. "And I think that defines everything I need to say.Stay well and I hope you enjoyed this tour with me.We'll have just a little extra soon. It'll pass before and after the epilogue, it is about Izuku's quirk. Just a fluffy funny thing with my favourite bird boy, Tokoyami. Remember when Izuku said that he was helping him?