"I'm in," Izuku stated simply. It was a few days later now and he was back at his father's old compound. Shigaraki and Chisaki had already been seated on the tattered brown couch when he'd entered the room and neither had time to speak before Izuku. 

"Just like that?" Shigaraki asked in a hissing tone, his right hand already furiously scratching at his dry skin. 

Izuku shrugged and made his way over to the new beige couch they had put in across from the brown one. The first couch hadn't survived his fire, apparently. "I'm bored, Shigaraki, you're offering something interesting." 

Chisaki eyes were alight with excitement, the most emotion Izuku had ever seen on the villain's half hidden face. "I knew you would make the right choice." 

Two hands found purchase on Shigaraki's neck, scratching hard and deep as his agitation grew. "And what are we supposed to do with the other two Seros? Since you seem to have no ties to them anymore." 

Stupid little man, Izuku mused. Still trying to out play me, even now.

"I'd recommend giving them back. You've caused enough up roar toting me around the city. No one wants to deal with the heat you'll get from killing a hero's family," he drawled, picking at the dirt under his nails. 

"Convenient for you and your little boyfriend," the villain spat, not at all buying what Izuku was so effortlessly selling. He was already fully aware that he had Chisaki in the palm of his hand, but there was never a doubt Shigaraki would be the one playing hard ball. 

Izuku raised a challenging brow at that. "Fine, kill them if you want, but I won't be the one saving your ass when the remaining three Seros come calling. Did you know that not only is the oldest a full fledge pro now, but Akira is an acclaimed doctor and quirk researcher, always cooking up all sorts of experiments. Then there's Haru, training to be a pro right now and set to graduate in just a few months. Nasty little fledgling hero, that one. Learning to fight from her big brother, who just so happened to learn from... me." 

Chisaki held up a hand, successfully ending the pissing match in front of him. "This is a partnership now, a true one. If you want the remaining two girls, all you have to do is ask," he stated simply, as if he'd known this would be one of Izuku's demands. 

I guess when they came back and found Emiko's body missing, they realized I wasn't as apathetic as I pretended to be. How annoying. 

Izuku plastered on the fakest smile he could muster as he joined his hands together in front of him. "That would be appreciated, yes." 

The crinkle in Chisaki's eyes gave away his smile as he waved at one his underlings by the door. "We're good to our friends, Mr. Midoriya." 

Izuku's own smile tightened. "Forgive me for not realizing it earlier." 

"No need," Chisaki said, happy to end the conversation and move on to more important manners. "I assume you've thought up your own plan on how we should proceed?" 

"A shit plan, no doubt," Shigaraki snorted, his eyes traveling to the ceiling rather than his enemy in front of him. 

Izuku promptly ignored him, already knowing that Chisaki had the final say around here. All he had to do was get on that villain's good side and he was set. "I have actually. I was thinking, with your permission of course, that if I take the girl's quirk myself, I could dissect it better. My analysis skills aren't nearly as useful on quirks I've never touched." 

It was a complete lie. Izuku's analysis skills were better than anyone's, point blank period. It didn't matter if he wielded the quirk himself or just watched it in action, he could have a whole book filled on the break down in an hour. Of course, the villains across from him didn't need to know that. 

"Ha! As if we'd let you get your greedy little paws on Rewind!" Shigaraki exclaimed with a harsh laugh. 

Izuku failed to find the humor he was playing at. "Would it not be beneficial to remove the middle man? I can't see how relying on a child would be good for mass production." 

Shigaraki's lips twisted into a smirk, his yellow and decaying teeth on full display. "And the bleeding heart stays bleeding." 

Before anyone could respond to that little comment, the door opened and the same underlying entered the room, this time with Aya and Hina Sero trailing behind him. 

"Izuku!" The elder of the two called, relief so plain in her voice Izuku almost felt a heartstring tug. 

Like his name was some sort of signal, Hina took off at a sprint right for him. Dear lord, these two have no idea how to play this game, he thought as he side stepped Hina before she could tackle him. 

At the betrayed looks he received from the mother and daughter, Izuku rolled his eyes. "Pull your sleeves up," he ordered the young teen. 

She blinked at him, unsure of what to make of the order, but followed it regardless. 

"Pockets?" 

She turned the pockets of her jeans out to reveal they were empty. 

With a sigh, Izuku waved her toward him. "Alright, that's a good girl. Come here." 

In seconds, Hina was attached to his side, her arms wrapped tightly around his middle and Izuku knew he wouldn't be able to pry her off with a crowbar. 

"Sorry about that," he mumbled. "Emiko's trade off was a bit rough." 

"Glad to see an old dog can learn new tricks," Shigaraki snickered. Izuku knew the quirk eraser had to have been his idea. 

Izuku turned his deadly gaze to him then. "And if you ever try that shit again, you'll see how many new tricks I have." 

"Please, you two," Chisaki said with a tired sigh. "We're all friends here." 

"How're the girls?" Aya asked after the goon had pushed her in the direction of Izuku, a testament to the fact that she really was free to go. 

"Fine," he said simply. She's see for herself as soon as this little meeting was over. 

Shigaraki cackled at his answer, nearly doubling over. "Is that how you're putting it? I had to have killed the last one, not even you could survive that kind of blood loss." 

Hina's grip tightened around his waist just as Aya's bruising grip found purchase on his arm. "What is he talking about?" the mother asked in a quiet and terrified voice. 

Izuku clenched his jaw, unable to reveal that Emiko was very much alive while in the presence of Shigaraki and Chisaki. 

"How did you boyfriend like the gift of his kid sister's dead body, hm?" Shigaraki continued, his taunts stabbing into Izuku like a hot blade. "I bet that lover's quarrel still stings." 

"The last one," Aya mumbled as Izuku glanced over to see her staring at the floor in deep thought. "Emiko was the last..." 

"It doesn't matter now," Izuku said with a sharp shake of his head. He needed to get them out of there and it needed to be fast. 

"What happened to Emiko?" Aya asked, suddenly looking straight into Izuku's eyes. 

He pressed his lips into a thin line, unable to tell the truth but dreading the lie. Even if Aya only believed her daughter was dead for a few minutes, he loathed to put her through it. 

"Izuku," she pleaded, pulling at his arm. "What happened to my baby?" There were already tears falling from her eyes and he knew she was seconds away from hitting the floor. 

"Yeah, I-zu-ku, what happened to her baby?" Shigaraki teased, his tireless scratching finally coming to a halt as he gained the upper hand once again.  

Izuku steeled his resolve. No matter how much he wanted to save Aya from the lie, it wasn't worth their lives. "She died. Shigaraki killed her." 

A muffled scream rang out as Aya's legs buckled and she dropped to the floor, one hand still clutching Izuku's pants. Hina was sobbing into his ribcage, holding onto him so tight he faintly wondered if she was going to break one of his ribs. 

Shigaraki's high and grating laugh soared over the distressed noises in the room. "Awe, don't give me all the credit! I wouldn't have gotten my hands on her if you hadn't so helpfully thrown her into them." 

"What is he talking about?" Hina asked in a trembling voice, her grip loosening as she looked up at Izuku with wide, terrified eyes. 

Izuku had had enough of the villain's games. In a flash, his flames materialized in front of him, still in that annoying wolf form. This time, instead of a chipper bark and begs of bully rubs, the beast's hackles were raised and it's wispy lips were pulled back in a blazing snarl as it stared down the other two villains. 

He barely spared his quirk a glance as he instructed "Get them outside, don't let them leave your sight and don't let anyone touch them, got it?" 

The wolf gave one final growl before turning tail and bumping it's giant head into Hina's back. The girl shot away with a gasp as she took in the beast that kept nudging her toward the door. 

Izuku didn't even strain as he hauled Aya to her feet with one arm. "Stay with Hina. I'll meet you guys in a few minutes and get you to Hanta." 

The woman rapidly shook her head, tears filling her eyes to the point she couldn't see clearly. "What did you do to my baby? What did you to my Emiko?" 

Izuku shook her once, out of time for her wailing. "Pull yourself together for Hina's sake," he hissed at her. He didn't enjoy being so rough with the woman he considered his second mother, but this was his life, his mess, and he needed to get them out of it. "My flames will keep you guys safe 'til I get back, stay with them and keep Hina with you, got it?" 

He didn't bother waiting for her response, gently pushing her in the direction of the wolf. It bowed it's head to her, plastering itself to the side of her body and acting as a support as the two Seros hobbled out of the room. Izuku wasn't worried about leaving them unattended, as mentioned before, he shared senses with his flames. He knew exactly where they were, what they were doing, seeing, smelling, all of it. The giant oaf was basically an extension of himself. 

With the innocent people out of the room, Izuku turned back to Shigaraki. "Really feeling the friendship over here." 

"It was petty and uncalled for, I apologize on his behalf," Chisaki said, ever the mediator. 

"Don't apologize!" Shigaraki said with another laugh. "That was quality entertainment." 

Chisaki rolled his eyes at his associate before turning his attention back to Izuku. "I hope this little tiff hasn't changed your mind at all." 

"And if it has?" Izuku challenged. 

"How well do you think that ball of flames will hold up against forty men?" Shigaraki mused, one finger on his chin. "Fifty? Sixty? The NPCs are disposable." 

"Canon fodder," Izuku said with a roll of his eyes, "but it doesn't matter, my answer is still the same. To be quite frank, I'm growing tired of cleaning up the Seros' messes." 

 A low chuckle of amusement came from behind Chisaki's mask. "As I knew you would. Why waste your time with the mundane when you can rule as a god with us." 

What is with this dude and the god shit? 

Izuku let a please smile slip onto his lips at the words, nonetheless. "I suppose I'll be hearing from you soon, then?" 

"Of course," Chisaki said with a single nod. "We'll discuss your idea and get back to you when we've made a decision." 

"I eagerly await your call," Izuku said with the smallest head nod in place of a bow. They didn't deserve it, but he had to play the part of civil accomplice. 

"See you soon, dog," Shigaraki called as Izuku made it to the door. As soon as it was shut behind him, he used his teleportation quirk to move through the halls at lightning speed. He hadn't been lying when he'd told Bakugou it was basic. He can teleport himself, others, or objects, but only if he could see them and where he wanted to send them. Useless if you couldn't use it fast enough. 

"I guess you aren't the worst quirk in existence," Izuku muttered to the wolf as he materialized next to it. It took him a second to realize that since he and the wolf were technically one, if he concentrated hard enough he could teleport right to it. 

Blaze, as Izuku remembered the wolf enjoyed being called, had gotten Hina and Aya out of the compound and onto the street. Aya was crumpled against the side of the building, holding onto Hina tightly as the two sobbed together. Izuku took one look at them and tutted. 

"Now, now, no need for all that," he said, holding a hand out to each of them. "Emiko is perfectly fine, still breathing, still annoying the hell out of Hanta." 

The cries ceased almost instantly, both girls looking up at him with wide, glassy eyes. "What?" Aya croaked, her voice nearly gone from all the crying. "But he said-" 

"They think she's dead and I needed to keep it that way," Izuku explained, pulling the mother and daughter to their feet in sync. "It's true that Shigaraki used his quirk on her, but I got her out and fixed her up. There's not even a scratch left on her." 

"Oh, thank god!" Aya shouted, her crying continuing but now from relief as opposed to grief. 

"Trust me, god had nothing to do with it." 

Izuku whirled around with a groan at the voice. "Why do you just keep popping up, little hero?" he asked in exasperation as he took in the sight of Shinsou in his full hero costume. "How do you even know where this place is?" 

Shinsou just held up his phone. "Sero." 

"I'm gonna kill him," Izuku muttered while he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whatever, take them. Get them to the agency or a hospital or... whatever the hell it is you do." 

"You're not coming with us?" Hina squeaked, her wide doe eyes burning straight through him with her betrayal. 

"Sorry, kid." Izuku placed a hand on top of her head, lightly ruffling her hair. "You're brother and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now." 

The girl's lips turned to a pout as she shook his hand off and immediately grabbed onto his waist again. "I don't care. Come with. Please, Izu." 

"Damn, hit you with the Izu," Shinsou said with a low whistle, clearly enjoying the view of Japan's most wanted being beaten by a thirteen year old. 

"Shut it," Izuku hissed at him, before looking down at the child that had attached herself to him. "I'm sorry, Hina, but I have to-" 

He cut himself off as Blaze trotted up to him and sat his happy ass down right next to Hina. It was a clear message that said the wolf was going absolutely nowhere without the girl. 

"Fine!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Let's go, I do actually have shit I need to do tonight, ya know." 

He jumped at a small pinch in his side, only to look down and realize it was Hina. The small girl was sporting a mean glare that even Izuku could admit was scary. "Don't swear," she barked. 

Izuku dragged his eyes to Shinsou in shock, but the hero was no help. He was currently too busy trying to hold himself upright as the weight of his laughter threatened to send him on his ass. 

"I hate this family," Izuku mumbled, only to receive a swift smack to the back his head. He whirled around to come face to face with Aya, who Hina apparently inherited her glare from. 

"That's my family, you know," she tsked, stepping around him to follow after the nice pro hero she's met through her son a few times. 

Izuku shook his head as Hina pulled him along by the wrist. "Fuck my life." 

A sharp tug came that almost made him lose his balance, "Stop swearing!" 

Fuck.

This chapter would have been up hours ago and honestly there probably would have been another, but my wifi decided to stop working so I had to wait it out, apologies.