Me seeing how long it's been since I updated:

We're gonna try to keep up this time. Welcome back, everyone. I'm sorry it took so long.

Third person pov

Toshinori hadn't been able to stop thinking about those two kids who'd cornered him. He wasn't sure why. He'd just felt... god, he didn't even know. On edge? Curious? They'd asked such critical, in-depth questions, all about a field he wasn't well versed in. He wasn't a secretary who was treated somewhat sourly by corporate higher-ups. He was the Number One Hero, and he couldn't help but feel guilty that he'd lied. He had a theory they'd seen through him and had been too nice to say anything. That's the impression they'd given him. It made him nervous to think maybe they'd seen through him. What would they do with this information? Would they write about it? Questions like these drove him to dig deeper. 

He found himself looking into Suzuko corporations. He picked up a few of their magazines. What he remembered it as was a fashion magazine. Nothing special, really. Very popular amongst the upper class. They'd been nothing special. Luxurious if you wanted to go there, displaying all the most popular and expensive brands. Modeling dresses that looked like they were pulled from a sci-fi movie, and documenting the most recent celebrity drama. It was essentially a gossip magazine and brand review all mashed into one. 

He'd heard the rumors and seen glimpses of how 'scandalous' it had become. It was riskier now, people said, touching on topics nobody dared go near. He hadn't realized how true that was until he cracked open one of the magazines for himself. His eyes had practically popped out of his skull. He'd flipped through them all very fast at first before coming back to see if he was hallucinating. These articles were blunt, and the titles even more so. He'd never gotten to read anything like this. Nothing that wasn't shoved deep into the dark corners of the internet, anyway. 

They were serious. Very, very serious. The magazine had gone from a vintage modern vibe to something that felt more indie and American in style and format. It was appealing aesthetically, he noticed. The topics inside contrasted severely against the photo's editing and the various fonts scattered within. They got in deep, interviewing people often to get first hand accounts. The depth in which these articles purged these topics was incredibly interesting. They didn't make things up or pull stuff out of their ass. He could see now why people called it 'risque' and 'bold'. It truly was. It didn't cut corners. It got down into the nitty-gritty of these topics.

The name on the front of all the magazines was obviously Suzuko-- the name of the brand. Kit Suzuko himself had come tracked him down. He quite obviously wasn't the type to let other people do his work. That was rare-- in fact, for someone so rich, it actually wasn't something he'd ever seen in his entire life. That's why it was so weird. He read up on it and found that they'd actually let go most of their staff, shrinking their team into one that was extremely small. Izuku Midoriya was one of them. He'd been the shy fanboy from before. Young Kittrick had asked most of the questions, but Izuku Midoriya had been the one to branch off of those and take notes. 

Izuku Midoriya had not only been interviewed about the injustice in Japan when it came to quirkless equality, but he also was the one to write many of the articles. He hunted down other people either without a power or with one so minor it may as well not have existed. The vast difference in how they were treated in the workplace and in their day-to-day social lives made him sick. It reminded him of his younger days, before Nana Shimura had passed this torch onto him. This magazine, and these kids... they were surely something else, that's for sure. These articles were bringing things to light that many didn't think about, and it was upsetting people. Whether that was a good or bad thing, Toshinori wasn't sure. 

He read more into Izuku Midoriya on the website. The main members of the team had little profiles on there. Kit's was very abrasive and controversial. Tenya Iida-- the photographer and editor-- was very formal and polite. Professional in a way you'd expect from someone with his position, even if he was young. Izuku Midoriya's was a little more genuine and... real. Like Kit's, but a bit happier in a way. Hopeful, almost. He was quirkless, he admitted, but he wanted nothing more in the world than to be a hero and help people with a smile. To bring hope and to save lives. Toshinori read his profile more than a few times. 

Under his skin, his quirk buzzed almost curiously. He wondered if it was a sign. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tenya was nervously pacing back and forth through Chad's hospital room at Osaka General Hospital, waiting for the news to switch from weather and instead to interviews. Izuku was there was well, sitting on the small sofa next to Tensei. Though Dabi was absent today, Hawks would be back later after grabbing them some food. He'd even called off work for this event despite how much Kit had tried to downplay it. They'd been very picky concerning the idea of an interview. The research they'd done into this station and their reporters was extensive, and it had concluded with Kit accepting.

They didn't really need the publicity. They'd been mentioned on the more gossipy news channels as it was. However, since taking over the company, Kit hadn't really... said anything. He hadn't put his face out there or let his audience get to know the face behind the production of this magazine. People were antsy and wanting to hear from him, and Kit had decided that there was only so long someone in his position could go without putting himself out there. So when this credible news station and come and asked if he'd like to come on for an interview, Kit had seen it as the perfect opportunity.

"He should have refused." Tenya had been rambling and stressing out from the moment Kit hopped into the Uber that would take him straight to the studio. Kit was strong, and smart, and he knew how to handle the media. He was practically an expert on it-- especially at this point. But this was different. This was a live broadcast that would be viewed by thousands upon thousands of people! Sure, their magazine and website was seen by millions. But this was... it was different. Kit was really putting himself out there. "We aren't even out of Middle School yet! What if he becomes a target? His articles haven't been well received in some circles! And now he's going to go there and... and be himself! And piss them off even more!" 

Izuku sighed, looking up from his laptop and sharing a look with Tensei. The blue-haired man had resigned himself to the fact that his younger brother wasn't going to calm down and was now just watching him fall apart. He'd also called off of work today, citing a 'family emergency' as his reason. He'd been right to do so. If Tenya kept pacing like that, he'd wear a hole through the floor. Literally. He had giant engines in his legs-- his steps weren't exactly light. 

"Wow. So much faith in Kit's charismatic and exuberant personality." Izuku drawled. Tenya shot him a dirty look that told him now wasn't the time for sarcasm. Izuku was immune to that sort of thing now. He'd really changed over the past few weeks, becoming bolder, more confident, and a lot more sarcastic. Tenya couldn't tell if it was a good or bad change. Kit rubbing off on him had been expected. It was bound to happen with how much Izuku looked up to the brunette. This was getting out of pocket, though. "Look, he'll be fine. He knows what he's doing and he's far from an idiot. Have a little faith in his ability to put on a good show. We both know he can hold on to a cheerful facade better than he can hold on to his own shoes." 

Tensei muffled a snicker with his hand as Tenya glowered. He knew Izuku was right, but how could he not worry? Any moment now Kit would be walking out onto that stage in front of the dozens of people in the live audience. He'd be portrayed across TV screens across Japan, and on computer screens in the US, UK, and Canada. Kit had insisted Izuku post a notice about it on their social medias accounts and on their website. This would only bring in more viewers-- not to mention the news station had been announcing it every day since the beginning of the week. Just how many people would have their eyes on Kit, listening to hear what he'd say? It was nerve wracking.

"He's right, Tenya. Kit can hold his own in just about any situation. I doubt he's even worried about this interview. It may even be fun to him." Tensei shrugged. Izuku nodded in agreement. The chances of Kit blurting out something they'd all regret later were... high. But they'd gone in knowing that. Tensei sighed. "I've done interviews just like this one before just like this one and you know it. They're a little nerve-wracking, but anyone with a fairly level-head will do just fine. Kit's a quick thinker and it's not hard to like him once you meet him. I'm sure the audience will be overjoyed to learn more about him."

"You're a trained hero and an adult! He's not!" Tenya ignored literally everything else both of them had said. Izuku groaned, throwing his head back. Behind Tenya, the window slid open to reveal Hawks with his arms full of chicken express. Tenya either didn't notice or didn't care, too busy chopping his hands around and about. Hawks slowly stepped in, his eyes darting between everyone in the room as Tenya continued to lose it. "What if he states something that angers someone and gets him targeted by someone dastardly?! Villains seem to greatly enjoy going after people with money and holding them for ransom, Tensei!" 

Tenya was clearly spiraling further and further into the possibility of things that most likely wouldn't happen. He'd always been a fairly anxious person. Tenya was someone who liked knowing. It brought him comfort to know what was going on so he could think and plan accordingly. This interview could go any possibly direction and result in a multitude of outcomes-- not all of which were good. Someone he loved was involved in the whole thing too which really wasn't helping the situation.

You couldn't exactly blame Tenya though, right? The teen felt his worries were entirely justified. The media were a bunch of wolves who loved to tear things thrown to them apart piece by piece. Kit was a wolf himself, sure. He just wasn't a very big one, and he was extremely outnumbered. Tenya knew they'd researched these reporters. They were honest people who seemed genuinely kind. He had to reason to assume they'd suddenly switch up and start asking or saying things they shouldn't. He just... He couldn't help himself! It wasn't like him to be this disorderly. 

"How optimistic of you." Hawks joked, setting down the Chic Fil A on Chad's bedside table and starting to dig through one of the bags so he could pass it all out. He glanced at Tenya from the corner of his eye, grinning in a good-natured sort of way. "You're about to find out if your worries are founded, kid. Unmute the TV."

Tenya had never moved so fast, Tensei didn't think. The elder Iida watched him sail across the room just to grab a remote that Izuku easily could've tossed him had he just asked. Izuku wasn't at all surprised by this, shutting his laptop and letting out a breath of air as Tenya unmuted the TV and plopped down between him and his brother. Hawks strode over with their food, tossing a couple chicken sandwiches at them and dropping the fry containers on Tensei with a wink. The man just squinted at Hawks with confusion, catching them before they could topple off his lap. Hawks mentally patted himself on the back. Smooth. He'd be landing this man any day now.

The winged hero plopped down in one of the chairs he'd pulled away from the wall, rolling his shoulders. He was honestly pretty excited to see how Kit would handle this whole interview thing. The kid had guts, but this was a whole new ballpark for him. He couldn't help but be excited. Glancing at Chad lying in his bed, he wondered if the man would be listening too. He hoped so. Ever since that brainwave spike they'd seen from their All Star performance, there'd been a lot more brain activity. Not a ton by normal standards. Just enough to make him... you know, not a vegetable. It filled Hawks with more hope than he realized could ever even exist.

The Chad project was growing bigger and bigger by the day, and so was Hawks' tension. The more people they talked to, the more likely it was this would leak and fall apart in their hands. He didn't want that. Endeavor had harmed so many more people than he'd thought. He'd been shocked by the influx of people who'd stepped forward, sharing their grief and loss openly with them. Many wanted their names and faces to be put in the magazine despite knowing just what Endeavor could do to them if he found out. They'd lost too much. They didn't care anymore. All they wanted was their voices heard, and Kit was going to do that for them.

"Silence! It's starting!" Tenya announced, spine straight as a metal rod. Tensei stopped, his mouth closed around his chicken burger already. He glanced at his brother with raised brows. Izuku sighed.

"Tenya, nobody said anythi-" Izuku started to say. Tenya gave him a terrifying look that made Izuku pause. Why'd he look so threatening? He'd had no idea Tenya could even make a face like that. Tensei hadn't completely bitted into his sandwich yet, so Izuku was willing to bet he hadn't ever seen that bring his brother either. Izuku gulped a bit. Instead of trying to argue, he just nodded. "Right. Quiet. Let's do that now." 

The TV's volume was raised a few notches as the roar of the live audience died down. Noboyuki Kichirou and Yasu Manami were the two interviewers who'd be talking to Kit today. The man and woman were good friends and had been since they were kids according to their research of the pair. They'd started their little show on Youtube and it had grown from there. Now middle-aged and greying, they enjoyed a life of asking heroes and other notable individuals various questions and just... talking to them. Getting to know them and sharing their story. A lot of people loved them for their light-heartedness and ability to make those they were talking to feel welcomed and at ease. 

Tenya was practically shaking in his seat as the clapping and cheering died down from the TV. Noboyuki's laughter bled through the sound, breaking it up, and Manami was smiling in a very cheerful way at whatever had cracked her partner up. They were dressed very professionally, one in a pressed suit and the other in a modest dress with sleeves that frilled delicately over her shoulders. Tenya leaned forward, his food forgotten as he waited with a baited breath. Hawks silently looked to Tensei and Izuku, question in his eyes. Tensei shrugged, and Izuku just shook his head. There wasn't going to be any calming him down from this one. He'd be strung up right up until the moment it ended.

"Thank you, thank you! We're glad to have all of you out in the audience tonight. These live broadcasts with all of you are always fun." Noboyuki said jovially, finally quieting the audience completely. "And we've got quite the full house tonight, too! We had to pull in a whole extra row of seating this time around. People were fighting over the spots." 

"I think we all know why that is, Noboyuki." Yasu laughed delicately, cheeks red with genuine excitement and eyes sparking. Tenya took a few deep breaths. They seemed like two honest individuals with good manners and outgoing attitudes. "We've got a pretty special guest coming in! Everyone's all but dying to hear what he's got to say. He hasn't taken any interviews aside from ours. We were lucky he even answered the phone."

Honestly, they were. Kit somehow knew when someone he didn't want to talk to was calling. Tenya wasn't sure if he'd just memorized the phone numbers of if it was a kind of six sense. He'd glance at the number, pause, and then shake his head. Let it go to voicemail. Sure enough, it was almost always some hungry news station or brand asking him to make a deal or to come in on the air. Kit was rich and the magazine was booming. Their name was incredibly well known at the moment. People wanted that. 

Even with all the hungry reporters who'd tracked down his number, he could always seem to tell when it was someone calling back about an interview that they'd requested, or about a story they were writing. Someone they actually wanted to talk to. Perhaps he could just tell business and personal numbers apart. That's why it had been a shock when he'd answered this last time and found it to be this very news station. It was even more weird that he was actually willing to chat. And now here they were. Stuck in this horrifying situation that Tenya very much disliked. 

"Trust me, I know." Noboyuki snorted, but not in a rude way. The crowd gave a collective chuckle. "For those of you who don't know-- though I can't see how you wouldn't-- we here and the Noboya Network have been lucky enough to score an interview with the one and only heir of Suzuko Corporations. The magazine has undergone some serious changes as of late, and we finally get to meet the one behind it all! Kittrick Suzuko!" 

The crowd burst to life. The camera panned over their excited faces. Some had their phones out themselves, filming the moment to post online. Izuku straightened up a bit, tension winding into the base of his spine. He wasn't as nervous or unsure as Tenya, but he couldn't say he was totally anxiety free. Tensei chewed slowly, sharing a look with Hawks. The two pro heroes were pretty eager to see how Kit would take this one. By the horns, for sure, but which was would he choose to steer it? It could go just about any direction. None of it was scripted. That was a good and a bad thing.

Kit entered from the left stage. Tenya felt his soul leave his body in the worst way possible. Kit had left in a nice button up shirt and dress pants! He was sure of it! Yet he was wearing the same thing he'd been wearing earlier that day-- from before he changed. Grey sweatpants that he'd owned for the past four years and a woman's cropped hoodie that he'd found in a literal dumpster. It was white and said 'Santa's Favorite Ho' on it in a Christmas-y font, a silhouette of Santa's sleigh and his reindeer pulling it above the bold text. This wouldn't have been too horrible were it not, you know, the middle of fucking Spring. What had he done?! Just grabbed shit blindly out of his closet?! When had he even had the time. Tenya was... he was speechless. Absolutely fucking speechless.

"God," Izuku groaned, looking distressed. "Where are his shoes." 

"At least he has socks on." Tensei shrugged as Tenya ascended, looking ready to walk right into the light. Hawks tried to hide how amused he was as Kit strutted out onto the stage. He had the runway walk down. The outfit was just... he looked great, really. Who had done his make-up? Because he hadn't had it on before he left. Just... was the Christmas top he'd found in a dumpster really necessary? 

Kit was insanely rich. He had enough money to buy any sort of luxury clothing item form any sort of brand in the entire world! And he had the good sense on how he could style said luxury items! He was great at matching clothes together and pulling together outfits that worked in ways most hadn't seen. Yet he disregarded those skills and showed up doing shit like this! Tenya was so proud and amused! Yet so fucking upset! 

"Hey." Kit plopped down in the chair they'd set out for him, bobbing his head. He looked down at his feet, his brows furrowing. "Fuck. Where are my shoes?" 

The crowd absolutely lost it at the sheer absurdity of this... this child. And Tenya had never wanted to cry more. 

~~~~

Huge shoutout to MeowAna from the Discord for picking out Kit's crop top. Flawless. I had no idea what to have him wear and she came in clutch with the perfect thing. Here is the reference photo she provided: