They’ve talked about it.
Or, Hizashi and Shouta have.
Izuku has been living with them for months now.
Hizashi can’t imagine that changing.
Whenever he thinks of the future whether that be a few weeks or a few years away there’s always three of them.
They’ve made it clear that Izuku is part of their little family. Hizashi is certain their Little Listener is growing ever more secure in his place with them.
Izuku doesn’t hesitate to ask to invite his friends over anymore. He giggles without thought at Shouta’s dry commentary and plays with the cats without glancing around for permission.
It’s a surprise sometimes, how much things can change in so little time.
One little shopping trip and their lives have all changed for the better.
There’s no real worry about Izuku having to leave, all the legal requirements are taken care of for the long term and with a powerful organization still possibly out to get him there will be no custody changes in the future.
The thing is though…
For now isn’t forever and Hizashi and Shouta made up their minds long ago about forever.
He’s pretty sure Izuku did too.
He sighs like Shouta on occasion, Hizashi doesn’t even think he realizes he does it, but it’s fond and exasperated in the same way. He tips his head just so and neither of them have the heart to point it out.
He says Yamada just like Hizashi does, which isn’t unique, exactly, but it isn’t how he said it the first time. All hesitant and stumbling and new.
They both catch themselves humming the same song sometimes and he’s never sure who heard it first or if it came on while they were baking together.
He still calls them Yamada-san and Aizawa-san but the polite distance of careful learned formality isn’t what anyone hears anymore.
They’ve made their choice.
The only real trouble is the asking.
“We’ll be alright, ‘Zashi.” Shouta nudges his shoulder just a bit, enough to be reassuring.
“Yeah.” He knows that, believes it wholeheartedly.
That doesn’t make it simple.
He takes a breath, long and slow.
They’ve had their moments, difficult and painful at times, but Hizashi would like to think they’ve faced things as best they could over the years.
This is no different.
Today’s the day.
Hizashi is nervous, he can tell Shouta is too. In his own way.
He isn’t afraid of Izuku saying no, even if he does they can settle for long-term fostering. They love him and that isn’t dependent on adoption. Really, he just wants it to be a good conversation.
He can’t bear the thought of Izu tensing up and wringing his hands for even a moment, fearing that they might be angry. They want this to be a good memory, regardless of what he decides.
Shouta moves first, resigned to the ever-encroaching reality of work.
Hizashi gets up a bit after him and makes sure he pulls Izuku into his side for a long moment before they leave for their respective schools.
Some day, it’ll be the same one. He has all the faith that it’s possible.
-
“Are you alright, Yamada-san?” Izuku asks when he comes back home to find Hizashi throwing cookies together.
“Spectacular, Little Listener.” He replies, only a bit exaggerating and only a little choked up about the fact Izuku knows him well enough to know this isn’t his usual routine.
Wow, he’s getting sentimental in his old age.
“He’s just nervous.” Shouta says, visibly unbothered to anyone who doesn’t know him as well as Hizashi does.
“Oh,” Izuku pauses. “Is it a bad case?”
Hizashi nearly laughs, a bad case. He supposes, in many ways, it’s been a very bad case. Abused children have always been hard for him.
Tuna winds her way around Izuku’s feet, distracting him asking any follow up questions for a moment.
Shouta settles himself at the counter and silently helps Hizashi form balls of dough.
It’s calm, just the little domestic moments they’ll likely forget the specifics of in the years to come.
They don’t speak, not until Hizashi slides the cookies in the oven and sets the timer.
He takes a deep breath and turns back to Izuku.
“We wanted to ask you something.” Hizashi starts.
“It’s nothing bad.” Shouta adds when Izuku starts to tense just slightly, it’s nothing like the tension of those first days. It almost seemed like he would collapse from the strain of it sometimes.
“Okay.” Izuku picks Tuna up and she purrs in his arms, twisting to rub at his chin.
Hizashi had a plan. He had it all mapped out.
He can’t remember what he’s supposed to say next.
“Can we adopt you?” Is what his brain comes up with.
Shouta gives him a slightly startled look, which is fair, they were supposed to ease into this.
Izuku’s eyes are wide, which is definitely fair, they really were supposed to ease into this.
“Y-you want to adopt m-me?” He squeaks.
“Of course.” Hizashi says, there’s really nothing else he can say.
Shouta nods and reaches out to gently tussle his hair.
“You’re a good kid.”
“Oh,” Izuku buries his face in Tuna’s fur and starts to cry.
Hizashi glances at Shouta and moves to pull Izuku into a loose side hug. He tells himself that crying isn't always a bad sign, it doesn't help much. Shouta only waits a moment before he joins them.
“Okay?” Shouta murmurs and Hizashi lets out a breath of pure relief when their kid nods a little.
“Are, are you s-sure?” Izuku sniffles, an uncertainty becoming less common by the day in his voice.
“Izu,” he breathes. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more sure.”
“Whatever you decide.” Shouta squeezes Hizashi’s hand in reassurance. “We love you.”
“I want to.” Izuku rushes out. “I really, really do.”
Hizashi grins. He can’t help it.
He presses a kiss into Izuku’s messy hair. He can’t stop smiling.
Shouta looks soft, a small smile on his face, barely smiling really.
It’s Hizashi’s favorite expression.
They don’t say much else and Hizashi basks.
The timer goes off.
They burn their tongues with molten chocolate much to Shouta’s exasperation.
He turns and meets his kid’s eyes with a half-hearted dramatic complaint about the unfairness of it all.
Izuku giggles.
Hizashi is certain he’ll remember this moment for the rest of his life.