bnha-anywhere-but-there

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

I’m a slut for questions please come bother me

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There - Chapter 20: Emotional Talks

Their Maths and Japanese exams came and went. Izuku came round for dinner and revised as planned. Everything was going smoothly, until curiosity got the better of Izuku.

"So you're living with two of our teachers, right?" Shouto nodded with an agreeable hum, "couldn't you just ask them about the practical exam?" the other faltered for a second, pen stilling in his hand.

"I could ask, but they wouldn't answer." Izuku slumped in his seat.

"That's shitty." he said. Shouto snorted.

"I'm just as curious as everyone else. Besides, they like to separate their work and private lives. If dad does bring work home, he's doing it at 2am so that everyone else is asleep." there was another pause, where Izuku decided to sit himself up properly.

"Ok, back to Chemistry!" Izuku said cheerfully, making the other groan.

——

After Izuku left, Shouto glanced around the house. Both resident teachers were in their room; doing something Shouto didn't want to know about. His eyes zeroed in on the bag that Aizawa had brought home that evening- sitting innocently by the front door. Biting his lip, his eyes flitted over to their bedroom door again. Unzipping the bag, he looked at the bundles of papers inside. Too focused on trying to read what was on the papers without dislodging them from their place, he didn't notice the owner of said bag emerge from his room; not until he was directly behind Shouto; not until he was grabbing him by the collar. He was yanked back, stumbling over his own feet and landing against aizawas chest. The man growled in Shouto's ear, craning his neck to look into the others eyes (a courtesy the younger wouldn't return).

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked. His voice was calm and his body was stock still. Shouto wasn't used to this response, had been taught that adults were only capable the kind of hot anger Enji had inflicted. To him, anger was loud, violent- malicious. It demanded attention; fear. Aizawa's anger wasn't like this. It was a kind cold of anger. To Aizawa, anger was quiet, patient and lacked aggression. Although it still wanted attention, it asked for it. So, for the first time, Shouto looked an angry man in the eye.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't've gone through your bag." he said instead of answering the original question. Aizawa hummed and began to guide them away from the bag.

"Okay, how about this, you do the dishes for the rest of the week and we'll forget about the whole incident." Aizawa offered. The younger nodded in agreement. Dazed, he stumbled into his own room. His back slid down the door, chest heaving unevenly in sobs that shook his whole body into alertness and then numbing haze once more. Back-forth-and back again.

——

In the adults room, aizawa flopped back down onto his waiting husband, eliciting a groan from both of them.

"When are we supposed to tell him?" Aizawa mumbled into the blond's shoulder. The other hummed and stroked his back.

"After his exams." Yamada offered, although it sounded more like a question than an answer. Aizawa huffed, snuggling closer to his husband.

"Stupid Enji. Stupid parental rights. I just want him to be safe and happy." he grumbeld into the others chest.

"Me too..." Yamada sighed, "Me too."

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Update: AO3 finally let me upload the latest chapter if you want to read it there

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

I’M FINALLY TRYING TO UPDATE AND AO3 WON’T LET ME 😭😭😭

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 19: Revision Talks

The whole class buzzed. It was finally Saturday; the last day of school for the week. Aizawa entered the classroom finally.

"Sensei! You're back!" they all cheered and began pestering him with questions. His hair started to raise in warning, and the class quietened down.

"I apologise for my absence the past two days. I was called in for hero work and got injured. That's all I can tell you regarding the situation." the class was completely silent, taking in the man's appearance fully. Satisfied with no visible injuries, their gazes made their way back to his face, "Now, you have your written exams from Monday. I'm sure you are aware of the expectations the school has of you." there was a tense air to the room after he finished; the consequences of failing hanging over their heads tauntingly.

The bell for first period rang and the day began. When lunch rolled around, the anxious feeling from homeroom still lingered with Shouto. He played with his food mindlessly, moving it from one side of the plate to the other. His teeth nibbled at the inside of his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowed. Izuku sighed.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Shouto glanced up, still biting his lip.

"Just worried." he said curtly.

"About what?" Izuku pushed.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." the other said, trying to brush off the topic.

"Come on. It's obviously bothering you." Izuku continued to pester the other. Shouto sighed, looking up at Izuku; his big doe eyes staring back sincerely.

"Wh-what if I don't pass the exams?" he stuttered.

"What?" he paused for a second, putting his chopsticks down, "Shouto, this is you we're talking about. Failing and you don't even belong in the same sentence." Shouto's shoulders dropped, slightly more relieved, "how about we study together tomorrow and we can go over everything?" he offered. The other nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds good. I'll talk to Dad about you coming over tomorrow- if you want." Izuku grinned.

"Sounds like a plan."

_____

At the dinner table that night, he decided to cut straight to the point the moment the trio were sat down.

"Can a friend come over tomorrow?" he asked.

"Who?" Yamada responded.

"Izuku." he said.

"Give me his mother's number and I'll check it's ok with her." Aizawa butted in. Shouto bristled.

"I'm not a kid." he said, irked.

"And I'm not an irresponsible parent." Aizawa said sarcastically, glancing at the other out the corner of his eye.

_____

Sunday came with a shining Izuku knocking at the small family's door. Shouto answered it, ready for the day. As the smaller entered, Shouto noticed the uneasiness coming from him. They placed their things on the dining table, next to Yamada who was eating breakfast. The oldest grinned welcomingly at Izuku's uneasy smile. He picked up his now empty plate, swallowing the last of his toast.

"Hi Midoriya. It's good to see Shouto bringing a friend home," he turned to the other boy, "if you need anything just shout, all right?" Shouto nodded and Yamada disappeared down the hall.

They began revising the material for Maths first since that was their first exam. It took them a few hours; with Shouto explaining everything Izuku didn't understand. After three hours of revision (with suitable breaks in between), they finished the maths revision and Izuku's stomach took its opportunity, rumbling loudly. A light blush made its way to his cheeks. Shouto stood wordlessly and walked down the hall, knocking on a door. The sound of lips meeting lips could be heard on the other side of the door. Yamada answered, hair still as disheveled as a few hours prior.

"We're hungry." he said bluntly. Yamada smiled, exiting the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Well, what do you want to eat?" he said automatically.

"I don't know." the younger replied, not fully pronouncing the 't', allowing the words to merge fluidly.

"Sandwiches?" Yamada asked, entering the dining room. Izuku nodded with Shouto.

"Can I have ham and cheese?" Shouto asked. Yamada nodded, pulling out a cutting board.

"And you, Midoriya?" the blond asked, grabbing the bread.

"Um... I'll have the same, please." he answered quietly.

"How's the revision going?" a gravelly voice broke through the small silence. Izuku jumped, head snapping to the dark haired man leaning against the doorframe.

"Good. We've gone through maths so far." Shouto answered. Aizawa hummed, approaching the table to glance at their work.

"How long did that take you?" Aizawa asked.

"A-About two and a half hours." Izuku piped in. Aizawa's eyes flickered to the guest for a split second; before reading their exam timetable

"Math: Monday

Japanese: Monday

Physics: Tuesday

Chemistry: Tuesday

Biology: Wednesday

English: Wednesday

Japanese history: Thursday

World history: Friday

Computer Tech: Saturday," he paused for a second to process it,"So, you're going to study for Japanese today and then, do the rest later in the week?" he asked. Shouto nodded.

"We're goin' t' 'ave to." he mumbled.

"How about Midoriya comes round after school and you can help each other for the other exams?" Yamada suggested. Shouto's eyes lit up and he turned to the other.

"Do you want to do that?" he asked eagerly.

"As long as you don't mind-"

"-You're no trouble Midoriya- and you're welcome any time. You can tell your mother that we'll provide dinner so she won't have to worry about it next week." the blond cut him off, picking up four plates. He placed them down and the two adults sat down with them.

"T-thank you." they dug into their food, the older pair chatting quietly.

"Oh, Shouto, that reminds me. I want to you to take the Universal Sign Language exam as well." Yamada said abruptly. The younger groaned.

"But-"

"-Universal Sign Language?" Izuku cut him off. Aizawa hummed, swallowing what was left in his mouth.

"Hizashi's teaching him. It's good for hero work." he said. Izuku's eyes shone, swivelling to look at the blond next to him.

"Can I learn too?" he asked.

"If you want." he answered.

"For now though, I suggest you revise for that Japanese exam you have tomorrow." Aizawa reminded them, standing with his plate. The pair groaned and the adults quirked a smile.

Returning to their bedroom, Yamada kissed the other.

"I think they'll be just fine on their own." Aizawa chuckled, returning the kiss and directing him toward the bed.

"We've got a few hours. I'm sure."

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 18: Homework Talks

The following day, it was fifth period and the class were in English. Present Mic was going through the register, checking the homework he had set over a week ago.

"Todoroki." Yamada called. Their eyes met.

"I didn't do it, sorry." he said, not sorry at all. The blond sighed, writing something down.

"And why is that?" he asked, glancing up at the last second.

"I've been having a really stressful time at home and it just slipped my mind- sorry." the younger milked. Yamada resisted the urge to scowl and nodded.

"Ok. I'll let you off just this once. Make sure you hand it into me next lesson." he said, writing something else down.

"I will." Todoroki replied, not looking at his teacher.

"Hagakure?" he continued.

_____

The family of three gathered at the dinner table that night. Yamada dug his chop sticks in his rice a little too forcefully.

"Shouto." the blond called. Said boy paused mid-bite, looking up slowly.

"Yeah?" he mumbled around his food.

"What part of 'homework is compulsory' do you not understand?" Yamada asked, slightly passive aggressively. Shouto stayed silent, "I want you to do your English homework after dinner," more silence ensued, "and you're grounded."

"What? But that's not fair-"

"-You did your homework for all your other subjects except English- and I know it was because you don't like my subject. And you also know that that's no excuse." he scolded. Shouto nodded and brought his chopsticks to his mouth again. He swallowed.

"'M sorry." he mumbled. He pushed his food around his bowl absentmindedly.

"It's all right." Yamada said, standing with his bowl. As he went to wash up, Aizawa leaned over the table.

"Ignore him. He's just grumpy," he said, picking up a piece of meat from his own plate. Placing it on the others plate, he stole a few chopstick-fulls of rice in exchange. Shouto eyed him curiously, "the rice is over cooked." was all he said.

They finished dinner and Shouto did his homework under the watchful eye of Yamada. The blond went to bed early, like always; leaving the pair on the sofa. Aizawa reached for the tv remote, switching it to a program that he knew Shouto would like. He got up and left the boy, returning a few minutes later with a plate. Handing it to him, he grunted.

"Don't tell Hizashi." he grumbled. Shouto picked up a piece of the toast- chocolate spread lathered over every inch of toast. He smiled softly.

"Thanks." he mumbled, taking a bite.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 17: Coffee Talks

Shouto arrived at school early- for once. Shifting his focus to his work, he tried not to think about the worry that lingered in the back of his mind. He kept glancing at his phone, just in case. Midnight took homeroom in Aizawa's stead, announcing that there would be two hours of self study instead of English because of Present mic-Dad's-absence. That ended up being two hours texting with midoriya and doing the homework that was due at some point in the following week. It went by quickly, surprisingly, and Midnight was back to teach Japanese for third period. It was around 11am, half way through the lesson, that it hit Shouto just how sleep deprived he really was. Midnight's voice seemed to match her quirk perfectly, coaxing him into an irresistible slumber. Leaning his head on his left arm, he snuggled closer to the warmth that seeped through his clothing. He blinked and then again, slower this time; until both eyes stayed shut.

"Todoroki, I'd like to speak with you." Midnight called. The bell had already rung and the woman was at the door, ready to leave. Rikido, to Shouto's right, nudged the boy. He took a few seconds to wake up properly, only moving when he heard Yaoyorozu next to him.

"Go with her." she hissed, nodding in the woman's direction. He stood and followed the woman to round the corner of the classroom; where they wouldn't be seen or heard.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked, still dazed. Midnight nodded, eyes softening.

"I heard what happened with Aizawa. Is he all right?" she said, voice lowered. The other hummed, scratching the back of his head with a small scowl.

"He's... he has a concussion, mainly. I'm not sure if he's all right exactly. But, he's not in the hospital. He was discharged as soon as we got there so it couldn't've been too serious- I guess." he stuttered out. A sigh of relief left the woman.

"Thank god. Oh, and don't worry about sleeping in class- just this once! It's only because of what's happened, ok?" she said, schooling her expression a little. He nodded, "Good. You're dismissed." she added. Shouto bowed to the woman and returned to class. While changing into his hero costume, Shouto decided to look at his phone again

Todoroki

How's dad?

After half a minute, he got a reply.

Loud Dad

He's doing much better than this morning.

It's like 11:30??

Why are you on your phone?

The younger rolled his eyes and turned his phone off; seeing more messages pop up on his lock screen.

Loud Dad

Shouto?

Are you ignoring me?

Talk at home x

Shutting the locker, he left for Gym Gamma with everyone else. All might grinned down at them as they gathered around.

"Today we will be... sparring!" he bellowed and held up a box. It rattled as he lifted it, "everyone will take a ball from this box. Find the person with the same number as you that is on the ball!" he finished, extending his arm. Eventually, everyone was holding a ping pong ball with a number etched on the round surfaces. Shouto walked towards Bakugo and held up his ball, showing the matching number to the blond's.

1

Bakugo scowled and looked at All Might, blanking the other male.

"All right! The pair with number one will spar first!" the man said, waiting for said pair to go to the area allocated.

"What are the rules, Sensei?" Yaoyorozu asked.

"No quirks! Only hand to hand is allowed. If I see any use of a quirk you'll be disqualified!" was all that was said, "begin!" Bakugo raced at his opponent. Shouto merely stepped to the side, avoiding the poorly executed punch.

His calm facade didn't last long. Bakugo had zero martial arts experience, but he was fast. Shouto wait, dodged- and again. But the explosive teen had a seemingly bottomless pit of stamina. The moment Shouto was distracted (glancing at Midoriya for just a second), Bakugo attacked. One solid punch to the face was all it took to throw the teen off his game. Again and again, hit after hit. Shouto gasped, a knee connecting with his stomach making him double over. Bakugo growled, gripping the other teens collar and holding him in his bent position, their heads almost touching.

"What the fuck is bugging you?" he snarled.

"Nothing." Shouto hissed, catching his breath.

"Liar," Bakugo snarled, "whatever it is, it doesn't fucking matter. Just fight you fucktard." he shoved the other away and balled his fists. Shouto stumbled with a grunt, shaking his head to focus.

The fight ended soon after. Bakugo took a punch to the face and a kick to the side. But, Shouto was the one who lost; being subjected to three more flurries of punches and a finishing axe kick to the back. Recovery Girl was on standby (mainly because midoriya was in that class, but she wouldn't tell anyone that) and Shouto was healed immediately after finishing said fight.

After leaving the infirmary, it hit him just how tired he was. He got his food and sat opposite Midoriya. The smaller teen watched as his eyes dropped every time he blinked. He cleared his throat, making Shouto's eyes snap open again.

"When did you go to sleep last night?" he asked. Shouto hummed.

"I didn't? Kind of- I guess. I started going to sleep around two and we left for the hospital at half two..." he trailed off. Midoirya nodded, rummaging through his pocket; pulling out a handful of coins.

"Ok, here's what we're gonna do," he started, pointing his finger to his right, "you see that coffee machine over there?" Shouto nodded and Midoirya slapped the coins in the other teens hands, "go get a mocha from it." he returned with said coffee, sniffing it with a scrunched nose.

"What is it?" he asked, completely reluctant by his dislike of coffee.

"It's like half coffee, half chocolate." Shouto's eyes lit up. Lifting the cup to his lips, he downed the whole cup in ten seconds. Gasping when he detached it from his lift, he grimaced and ran his tongue along the roof of his mouth; attempting to wipe away the taste.

After lunch, the second half of the hero practicals began. By the time the second, third and twentieth round of sparring had taken place, it was finally the last lesson of the day. It was at this point that it hit Shouto for the second time just how drained he was. Entering the classroom, a wave of lightheadedness hit him. He stumbled and gripped the door framed tightly. Lifting his head from its lowered position, everything went black for a few seconds as a tingly sensation enveloped his head and flowed to his feet. He waited for it to pass as his classmates passed him to enter the room, giving him concerned looks. The tingling died down a little, his vision still black but starting to clear; so he walked the memorised route to his seat. Sitting down, his head cleared and he watched as Ectoplasm entered the classroom. The hero began his maths lesson immediately. Leaning his head on his hand, he felt his eyes begin to close against his will. It was as if Ectoplasm timed the boy. Twenty minutes after Shouto fell asleep, he was called.

"Todoroki, what's the answer to number eight?" the man asked. Said boy jolted at the sound of his name, glancing at the board. He blinked a few times, reading the correct question.

Expand and simplify,

8. (x + 4)(x + 1)(x + 7)

"Um..." he stalled, "X cubed plus twelve X squared plus thirty-nine X plus twenty eight." he said slowly; thinking as he spoke. Ectoplasm nodded as he scribed on the board. Kaminari turned around in his seat to look at the other boy; eyes wide.

"Dude- what the fuck?" he hissed.

"Kaminari, since you're so talkative, perhaps you can answer number nine for me." Ectoplasm ordered. The electric boy gulped and rotated himself to read the question, groaning.

_____

Entering the apartment, he dumped his bag at the front door, kicked off his shoes and collapsed on the sofa; leaning against Yamada- instead of Aizawa, who he decided was too injured for the added weight.

"So... How was school?" Yamada drawled.

"I'm gonna say this as nicely as I can," he started, knowing full well that both adults would have been told about what had happened during the day- curtesy of Midnight and Co. "Please- don't talk about it." he tilted his head to look at Aizawa properly, "are you feeling better?" he yawned and Yamada repositioned so Shouto was laying across his lap; head on a strategically placed pillow. The dark haired man hummed.

"Yeah," he paused, giving Yamada a sideways glance, "I would come in tomorrow but I've been banned until Saturday." he finished bitterly. Shouto hummed, unbothered, eyes closing for the night.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 16: Doctor Talks

The car pulled up and within a minute the pair were at the desk.

"We're here to see Aizawa Shouta." Yamada said. The receptionist nodded, typing something on her computer.

"What is your relation to the patient?" she asked.

"We're family. I'm his husband and this is his son." Yamada answered impatiently. The woman nodded, typing something else in. Another minute passed, Yamada tapping the desk while Shouto bit the inside of his lip.

"All right, he's in room 30b-"

"-Thank you." he cut the woman off with a tight smile; walking as quickly as his large strides would allow. After a few minutes, they reached the room and slid open the door.

There Aizawa was, fast asleep. He had bandages wrapped around his head with a pained expression on his face. The only other thing in the room was a vital signs monitor that beeped regularly. Yamada placed the bag on the floor and slid it under the bed with practiced ease. There was a knock at the door, soft but measured.

"Come in." Yamada called. A man in the traditional white jacket entered.

"Are you his family?" he asked. The blond nodded and swallowed his nerves.

"Yes, we are." he said, managing not to stutter- just. The doctor picked up the clip board at the end of the bed, scanning the pages for a few seconds before speaking again.

"As soon as he's awake, he can leave. Just sign him out at the front desk when you're ready," he flipped over a page, "Mr Aizawa here has a concussion. Please keep an eye on him for the next 48 hours. He's going to have headaches for the next few days. Do not give him Aspirin or any other anti inflammatories. Paracetamol is ok. He might also be dizzy, unsteady or clumsy and may suffer from memory loss. If his symptoms get worse, come back. If they don't improve after two weeks, come back. He may experience headaches, dizziness, problems concentrating or problems with memory, unsteadiness, behaviour changes, anxiety and depression for the next few months." he listed off methodically, turning another page, "He also has minor bruising to the ribs which should go away in the next few weeks. He has eye strain as a result of overuse of his quirk. I'm sure he's aware of how to treat that himself. I believe that's all. Thank you for your time." the man bowed and left.

"The next few months...?" Shouto echoed. Yamada smiled.

"That's only in worse cases. It might not be serious enough for that." he reassured. Pulling up two chairs, they sat down. After a few minutes of silence, Shouto pulled out a few books from his bag.

"You wouldn't know anything about the Endocrine System, would you?" he asked. It was the biology homework.

"That's not due today, is it?" Yamada said, leaning over to read the sheet.

"No, it's due tomorrow." the other replied with a small pout.

"Is this the earliest you've done the homework before it's due?" he said jokingly. Shouto scowled.

"Maybe." Yamada rolled his eyes.

"I'll help you if you get stuck, all right?" he offered. Picking up his pen, Shouto started.

After an hour, the biology homework was complete and Aizawa was putting his shoes on; having woken up ten minutes prior. They got home at around 5am. Shouto went back to bed, waking up at 6:30am for school. When he entered the kitchen, Yamada emerged from the pair's shared room.

"Shouta and I are staying home today. Have a good day at school." he said, ruffling the boy's hair. Shouto grunted, brushing at his hair to split it evenly again.

"I just brushed this!" he complained, pulling his hands away again after a few seconds.

"I like it better this way." he said, ruffling it again with an adoring smile; earning another groan.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

This blog support and love Horikoshi Kohei

reblog  and spread the love

#PLUSULTRAforHorikoshi

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Just wanted to say that I love this fic so much! It was started off kinda sad but then got really cute. I can’t wait to read what happens next! ❤️❤️❤️

Thank you so much!!! ❤️❤️

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

August 21st is Fanfic Writer’s Appreciation Day  💕

Let’s be honest - we all forget to leave a comment sometimes. We don’t always go out of our way to click the “come talk to me on tumblr” link on AO3 to scream about the fic in the author’s inbox. On August 21st I encourage you to take a moment and show fanfic writers that you appreciate them!

How can you do it?

leave a comment and kudos on every fic you finish reading. Doesn’t matter how short. Doesn’t matter if you’re just repeating what other people have already said. Just be kind! Keysmashing, Caps Lock, and live commenting appreciated! (Bonus points if you leave a comment on every chapter)

ideas for what to put in a comment: one | two

floaty review box for ao3 (super useful for commenting as you read + it has a ‘review tips’ button if you feel stuck)

reblog ficlets, drabbles, fics, fic rec posts, etc. Put a nice comment in the tags. Remember that likes, while appreciated, don’t give the writer any exposure, meaning the posts don’t reach more people

go to your local fanfic writer’s inbox and talk to them about their fic of your choice. Let them know how long ago you’ve read it and what story point/sentence/scene still makes you smile when you think about it

send thank you messages to fic writers. In a world where you have to pay for almost everything, they’re supplying you with countless hours of free entertainment. It can get quite lonely without getting messages acknowledging the hours they spend writing stories - let them know their time and effort is appreciated

make fic rec posts and @ the authors whose fics you’re recommending! (believe me, fic writers love to see their stories in these posts)

create something inspired by a fic! You can draw fanart, make a moodboard or aesthetic post, or even write a song for the fic you love. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro doesn’t matter - the thought alone is what counts more than anything <3

buy the writer a coffee if they have a ko-fi page and you have some change lying around c: Caffeine keeps most fic writers awake when they struggle with a particularly slow draft or a difficult scene. More coffee, more content.

These are only some ideas out of the sea of possible ways to appreciate fanfic writers. On August 21st show the writers in your fandom(s) some love <3

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Headcanon

Kaminari owns a Pikachu onesie and wears it in the dorms a lot.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 15: Silent Talks

The trio left together the next morning. The day passed by like normal; talks of the upcoming exams; lunch time clashes with class 1-b (which ends up actually being just Monoma); and Shouto zoning out during English. The youngest went home and waited for the other two to get home on the sofa- preoccupied by the tv. When the door finally clicked open, only one set of footsteps resounded throughout the house. Craning his neck, he saw the familiar blond hair of Yamada. Shouto frowned, glancing at the door again.

"Where's dad?" he asked. Yamada smiled, shrugging off his jacket and draping it over the back of the sofa.

"He got called in for some hero work. It's just you and me tonight," Shouto nodded; so the other continued, "what do you want for dinner?" the younger hummed.

"Pizza?" he said, not expecting the reply that followed.

"Yeah sure. I'll order it now. What kind of pizza do you want?" Yamada said, pulling out his phone.

"Pepperoni- with wedges?" Shouto said, adding the latter quickly with hopeful eyes. The older rolled his eyes.

"Yes with wedges. I'll call them now." he said, putting the phone to his ear.

Half an hour later, yamada had showered and said pizza was on the table. They ate together, talking absentmindedly about various topics.

"What did you learn in English today?" Yamada tested the boy- knowing full well that he wasn't listening to most of it.

"Um..." he stammered, clearing his throat and then taking a sip of his water; delaying the inevitable, "I learnt," Yamada cocked an eyebrow, waiting.

"You weren't listening, were you?" he asked, slightly irked. Shouto shook his head, looking regretful.

"Sorry." he said. The man sighed.

"Is it me?" he asked. The other shook his head, his hair bouncing with the movement.

"No I-" he took a breath, staring at his empty box of wedges, "-I don't like English."

"What? But you're the best in the class." Shouto shrugged.

"It's boring." Yamada gaped at him.

"Ok, as long as your grades don't drop, I don't care. But, I could try teaching you a different language. You might find it more interesting." he said, trying to resolve the situation a little. The other perked up, lifting his head to meet Yamada's eyes.

"What language?" he asked.

"Universal sign language."

_____

They spent the better half of their evening going over the basics. Around ten o'clock, they both called it a night (with yamada being more insistent).

It was at 2:30 in the morning that Shouto woke up. It wasn't particularly loud; he was just a light sleeper and had just fallen asleep half an hour prior. Footsteps could be heard in the kitchen; hushed but hurried. Shouto went to the kitchen and took in the sight before him. There was Yamada. His hair was disheveled; one hearing aid in his ear while the other was being put in as quickly and carefully as the man could manage. There was a duffle bag on the table- and no Aizawa. After a few seconds, the hearing aids were in and working.

"What's going on?" he asked, glancing at the bag.

"Shouta's at the hospital. I'm going now to be with him. If you want to come, put your shoes on." he said quickly; voice devoid of that gravelly tone it usually had when he'd just woken up, replaced by worry. Shouto nodded and ran back down the hall. He grabbed his jacket and school bag. The bag would have everything he needed for the following school day along with his keys and wallet. He grabbed his phone and rushed back down the hall. Pulling his shoes on, they left as quickly as possible.

An Uber was outside; having been called as soon as Yamada was informed of the situation. Getting in the car, both males were filled with dread; willing the car to go faster.

'Please be ok...' they thought anxiously as the car pulled up to the hospital.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere But There- Chapter 14: Study Talks

The next day, Shouto met Izuku at the gate and walked into the school with him; Izuku grinning the whole way like usual.

"Hey so..." he trailed off. Shouto rolled his eyes, deciding to put an end to the others hopeful manner.

“They didn't tell me anything, before you ask." he butted in. Izuku pouted slightly, entering the school building.

“That's a shame." the pair entered their classroom and the school day began again.

At the end of the day, Shouto went home before either of his dads and they ate dinner together later, as usual. After dinner, the youngest started his revision for the upcoming end of year exams. He began revising at seven o'clock, going in regular intervals of 20 minutes, taking a five minute break and starting again in cycles. When it got to nine o'clock, Yamada wanted to intervene; muttering to his spouse grumpily.

"Its been two hours, Shouta!" he hissed. Aizawa hummed, glancing at the person in question.

“Give him some more time. If he doesn't stop soon, I'll speak with him, all right?" he said, quirking an eyebrow at the end. The blonde huffed but snuggled closer into his husbands side.

“Fine." he mumbled, scowl still evident in his tone. Ten minutes turned into twenty; then twenty to thirty and thirty to an even grumpier Yamada (and a worried Aizawa, though he'd never voice said concern). A jab in the ribs from the blonde prompted the other to stand and approach the youngest.

"Shouto, you've been revising for two and a half hours. We think it's time for you to call it a night." he said calmly. The younger scowled, not stopping the pen in his hand as he spoke.

"I'm half way through a session. Can you wait ten more minutes?" he said. Aizawa was scowling now. He pulled the pen from the boys grip, easily dodging the sweeping hand that followed.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you," he started. There was a few seconds pause as the pair stared each other down, "ten more minutes, then straight to bed- agreed?"

"Agreed." the pen was handed back. Aizawa checked the clock.

21:34

At quarter to ten, Aizawa returned. Shouto spoke, not taking his eyes off the page. "I'm just finishing this sentence and then I'm going." he said, placing a full stop as he spoke. He gathered his things in an ordered pile and stood. As he passed the man, Aizawa ruffled his hair gently.

“Night kiddo."

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Chapter 14 of Anywhere But There is up on AO3 now

It’s not Friday but I thought I’d update anyway.

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Anywhere but There- Chapter 13: Unhelpful Talks

The brownies were gone before Yamada even started cooking dinner, much to Aizawa's displeasure. They had dinner as normal and spent the rest of the evening together. Monday came around again. Shouto woke up to a knocking on his door. Yamada peaked his head inside the door.

"Hey kiddo, time to wake up. Shouta and I are leaving now for a meeting." he said not-so-quietly. The boy hummed, his voice croaky and rough as gravel. Opening one eye by about a centimetre, he snuggled into the covers.

"What time is it?" he asked, barely louder than a whisper.

"It's 7am. I'll see you at school, ok?" he nodded, making Yamada smile, "Have a great day." he closed the door. A minute later, the front door opened, and shut after another thirty seconds. Shouto shut his eyes, happy with a quiet house once more.

At 08:05, he woke up again. Looking at his phone, a string of curses came out of his mouth. He jumped out of bed faster than he ever had. Yanking on a pair of trousers and a shirt, he stuffed his tie and blazer in his school bag. Placing a piece of bread in the toaster, he raced to brush his teeth and raked his hands through hair. The toast popped up and he was out the door half a minute later with it between his teeth. 08:11. He breathed out in relief. Walking at a fast pace, he made it to school a few minutes early.

Iida nearly spit out his drink upon seeing the other teen. Swallowing hastily, he approached the boy.

"Todoroki! May I remind you of the importance of being well dressed and keeping your appearance neat and tidy. It not only reflects on you but also on the sch-" he began his lecture.

"Iida, could you help me with my tie?" he asked. Of course he could tie a tie, but it might not be straight without a mirror. Iida grumbled, starting another lecture on interrupting people while tying the tie. Todoroki pulled out his blazer and shrugged it on, sliding into his seat as Aizawa entered the room.

"You're end of term examinations will be taking place in a few weeks." Aizawa began. The class collectively groaned. Schedules for the exams were given out and then classes began.

When lunch came around, Midoriya sat with Todoroki while Iida and Uraraka were getting their lunch.

"Hey Shouto, can't you ask Aizawa-Sensei or Mic-Sensei about the exams?" he asked in a hushed whisper. Todoroki had told Midoriya about his new living arrangements (and only told Midoriya). He hummed, swallowing a mouthful of rice.

"I can try, can't guarantee anything though." he said. Midoriya shrugged.

“I wouldn’t blame you, knowing Aizawa-Sensei.” he said, shovelling in more food.

The day went by in a blur and soon enough Todoroki was back home, waiting for the remaining pair of the household to arrive. They ate dinner and sat on the sofa to watch a show that they wouldn't fully pay attention to. It was then, that Todoroki attempted his first pursuit in gaining intel.

"So about the exams..." he started. Without batting an eye, Aizawa picked up where Todoroki trailed off.

"Before you ask, no. You're not getting any information from us." he said emotionlessly. Todoroki huffed.

'It was worth a try...' he thought bitterly.

"Got any advice?" he changed the topic slightly.

"Study for it?" Yamada said sarcastically.

"Wow, great help you two are." he muttered not-so-quietly. Yamada chuckled while Aizawa sported a small smile.

“You’re welcome”

[bnha-anywhere-but-there]

Updates are back on AO3.

I’m back and have internet again so updates will now be going up on wattpad, ao3 and tumblr every Friday at 7pm bst.