Chapter 2
The kid was nervous. Tony could tell. His hands were fidgeting in his pockets and his leg was bouncing up and down the entire ride to Inkos place. Tony didn’t know if he should push the kid to talk about it, or if he should leave it alone either way something in him told him this was going to be a big issue if it wasn’t taken care of now.
“What’s got you so nervous kid?”
“Hm? I’m not nervous” For a 16 year old child this kid certainly did have the monotone voice and expressionless face down. However his leg was still bouncing and his hands were still fidgeting his body giving away what his mind didn’t want to.
“Kid, I can tell you’re nervous. You’ve been bouncing your leg this entire time like some sort of rabbit and your hands have been twisting themselves into knots since we left Izumu-sama’s house. Not to mention you haven’t even looked at your cat once and according to Izumu-sama you’re practically glued to him whenever you’re around. So let’s not play this game and skip straight to the real talk. What’s wrong?”
“... I have a villain's quirk.”
“A villain's quirk?”
“Yeah. A villain's quirk. I can take away other people's quirks by looking at them with mine activated.”
“I don’t know what they’re teaching you over here in Japan, but in America we don’t have villain quirks. We just have abilities. Good or bad depends on the person.”
“But it’s bad. People always hate me when they find out my quirk. My parents thought I was trying to trick the hero students by transferring into the hero course and they left me because of it! Why doesn’t it matter to you when it’s the only thing anyone else sees?!”
“Kid. Me and Happy here, we’re quirkless. We don’t have quirks. You having a quirk that takes away quirks means nothing to us.”
“But aren’t you some famous CEO or something?”
“Yeah, owner of Stark Industries. Why does that have anything to do with my quirklessness?”
“But it’s illegal! You can’t own a company if you’re quirkless, everybody knows that, especially if it’s in the weapons or hero industry like Stark Industries is! The most you could get away with is in the restaurant industry.”
“Here in Japan it’s illegal. In America it’s encouraged, you’re more likely to be quirkless than be born with a quirk. In England it’s so frowned upon to have a quirk that the population of quirked individuals there is about the same as the quirkless here in Japan. You guys rely on your quirks too much here, put too much stock behind a person’s worth being tied directly to their quirk. Quirks were found in the America’s by the time the Salem Witch Trials were happening, in fact they were what caused the witch trials, but we still put less faith in quirked people than you guys do. Yeah in America you may be seen as a little better than other people by certain groups if you have a quirk or don’t have a quirk, but the majority don’t care because the quirks people do have aren’t powerful like the ones over here. You’d be among the most powerful if you moved to America actually.”
“That sounds so strange to me. I’ve gotten so used to being looked down on by my peers because of my quirk I forgot that other places don’t hold them to the same value as we do.”
“Places like China, Taiwan, and Thailand all have similar views as Japan, none as drastic but cutting it close in some areas. My point is, you’re more than your quirk kid. I’d like to help you see that eventually. On that note let me tell you about my sister and her kid. Her house is a little packed right now but there’s just enough room for you to stay there too, I’m not letting you out of my sight anytime soon and I’ve already talked to Nezu about you staying with me.”
So he does. Tony spends the entire twenty minute drive to his sister's house telling the kid everything about his family that he can think of. How his nephew is the smartest little thing he’s seen, how Inko loves cooking but absolutely do not let her bake anything ever because she’s awful at it even if they’d never say that to her face. How Rhodes is called the Witless Wonder because of the dumb things he did in college, how Happy is more to Tony than just a chauffeur and body guard. Here Happy blushes a little and clears his throat pushing his sunglasses further up his nose, not that he needed them since the sun was already down but who was Tony to take his hiding gear away from him. How Pepper was like a mexican hot chocolate, she could be super sweet but she had a spiciness in her that when triggered caused her to burn and sting.He left out Obadiah, feeling weird introducing the kid to his father figure but not knowing why, maybe Inko was rubbing off on him too much. By the time they get to Inko’s house the kid is much more relaxed than he was before, and he didn’t even have that scowl on his face that seemed to be permanent before. However his eye bags were more noticeable than they had been so Tony knew he’d have to get this kid to sleep as soon as they got inside the house.
“Honeybear! I’ve brought the kid with me.”
“Hey Tony, dinners almost ready so once you take your shoes off you and the kid can sit and wait with Hap. Hey kid, the names James Rhodes, you can call me Rhodey.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too kid, sorry bout the mess we just put the kiddo down before you got here. Didn’t get the chance to clean up.”
“.. It looks clean to me.”
“Ha yeah, I guess I just have high standards for cleanliness.”
“Rhodey, platypus, you had me build you a bot that did all of the cleaning for you because you hated it.”
“Yeah I hate it. Doesn’t mean I don’t want it clean. Hence cleaning bot.”
“You’re just using me for my tech aren’t you?”
“Oh no the cats out of the bag whatever shall I do now. Inko he’s found us out.” Rhodey says in the most dead-pan voice he can muster up, which considering he’s had to deal with Tony for this long is pretty good.
“Oh stop teasing him in front of our guest Rho. Hello dear, I’m Inko but you can call me Auntie. We’re having katsudon so you can take a seat at the table. It'll be done in a minute. Once you’re done eating Tony will show you to your room for the night.” Inko smiles at the kid before ushering him to the table and returning to the kitchen.
Dinner that night is a quiet affair, and when Shouta is done he taps Tony on the shoulder and asks him to show him where the bathroom is before his room so he can take a shower. Tony gets up from the table, having already finished eating, leading the kid to the bathroom and then pointing out the door to his room that was at the end of the hallway. Tony ruffles the kids hair one more time telling him which room is his in case he needs anything before padding back into the dining room where Rhodey Happy and Inko are drinking coffee.
“Tony. Please tell me you’re not planning something stupid.”
“...”
“Tony…”
“I’m sorry but you said not to tell you.”
“Is this a smart idea Tones?”
“No dumber than anything else I do. Besides guys, he has the same look in his eyes that I did after mom and dad passed.”
“Tony. Are you sure you want to do this?” He hears Pepper's voice call out from somewhere in the room.
“100 percent Pep. I need to help this kid. I don’t know why but I can’t not do it. I want to give him the option but I also want you to draw up those foster sheets the lawyers keep on hand for emergencies. If you could get a room prepared in Malibu, and search for a nice place in New York that isn’t anywhere near my old place. Preferably in the city itself.”
“Why?”
“The kids training to be a hero and I refuse to let him participate in work studies here. I know a guy or three in New York who could be considered under the policies of work studies mentors. Pep his friend died on his and the kid was there when it happened. He saw his friends dead body being carried out from underneath rubble. So a place in New York for the two of us in the city so he can at least get a taste of the type of landscape he wants to work in.”
“Where does he want to work?”
“According to Nezu, he wants to go underground in the red light district.”
“That area needs more good heroes patrolling it. He’s a smart kid for going under there, he’ll get signed right away.”
“Tony, we're behind your decision about this. If you need us though make sure you remember we’re here for you, don’t think that you’re alone because you’re not I promise.” Inko said, placing her hand on his arm. “However it is getting late and we all have early starts tomorrow so let’s all go to bed yeah? Goodnight Pep.”
“Night Inko. Tony, I'll talk to the lawyers today and get that paperwork ready for you by tomorrow afternoon.”
“Thanks Pep. You really are the best. Get yourself something nice from me will you?”
“Already did. Will that be all Mr. Stark?”
“That’ll be all Ms. Potts, have a good day.”
“You too Tone.”
Happy hangs up with Pepper patting Tony on his shoulder as he walks by to go to his room for the night, Rhodey following behind. Inko goes to check on Izuku as Tony makes his way to his own room, passing by the kids on his way and peering in to make sure the kid’s alright. Tony slowly closes the door before making his way to his own room and heading off to sleep.
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The next morning Tony wakes up around three am with a pounding in his head from lack of caffeine and stress from the thoughts of what’ll be happening in the next few hours. First things first he has to talk to Nezu again.
“J send an email to the rat god, let him know I’m coming in early with the kid today to discuss his housing arrangements and lay our options on the table. Let Pep know I need those papers sooner than we thought and have her send them by in the next few hours and then order her whatever expensive thing she’s been eyeing that she hasn’t already bought for herself. Then send an apology muffin basket to my lawyers. They'll need it. Add a note to that we need to update their NDA’s to prevent Obie from being able to access my personal paperwork until the paranoia episode has passed.”
“Very good sir.”
With that being done Tony headed to the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee before grabbing a towel from the linen closet and going for a hot shower, it always helped his stress headaches. As he sets foot in the bathroom his phone lights up, signalling a text from Obie that simply reads ‘Impatient, we need an idea and we needed it yesterday Tony.’Great another thing I’ll have to think about today. Tony sighs in his head already feeling tired even though he just woke up.
“Let’s get this show on the road, Jarvis workshop music please and thank you.” As ACDC blasts from the speakers in the bathroom walls, sound-proofed by Tony personally for this exact reason, he feels the hot water relax some of the stress away from his shoulders. In the middle of washing his hair the idea pops into his head. Finally something that will get the board of directors off his back and keep Obie too busy to notice the kid Tony plans on keeping. He’ll need time to develop it, it’s already October so it’ll be a few months until it’s completely worked out but it’ll do for now as a base idea. If he’s lucky Obie will like it enough to give him extra time to work on it if he says he’s building connections here. Now a name for it. Maybe Jupiter? No too Roman. Peregrination? No sounds too much like an ACT word.
“J start listing off words meaning either moons, or traveling.”
“Ainar, Badar, Fernweh, Eleutheromania, Jerah, Jericho, K-”
“Stop J. There. Jericho. Start a folder titled Jericho Missile, once I’m done with the description send it through to Obie with a note saying is this good enough for you. Thanks J. Did Nezu respond yet?”
“Yes sir he says he is looking forward to your arrival and ended the email with, and I quote, Let’s cause chaos muahahaha. You have strange friends sir.”
“Don’t act surprised J, we knew this the entire time.”
Tony finishes washing up before he finishes getting dressed and heads to the kitchen to down the entire pot of coffee he made. On his way he hears Izuku begin to stir and decides he’ll spare Inko the trouble of getting up so early and take care of the munchkin until Inko wakes up on her own. When he gets into Izuku’s room the toddler is staring up at him through his full green lashes, one hand in his mouth and the other holding onto his foot pulling on his toes. Tony scoops the kid out of his crib before continuing on his way to the kitchen. He spends the next two hours feeding and coloring with his nephew. By the time Inko wakes up most of his stress headache is gone and he’s had two full pots of coffee on his own with a third brewing. The trio spend another hour together, Inko and Tony sharing the third pot of coffee, Inko starting a fourth right as Happy and Rhodey emerge. Halfway through the fourth pot of coffee the kids awake and shuffling into the kitchen, grabbing a cup that was abandoned on the counter and pouring the coffee into it, before drinking the rest out of the pot.
“Whoa there Garfield, you’re even worse than Tony.”
“Actually that’s not entirely true, I may or may not have done that twice today before you woke up Inko.”
“You drank two whole pots of coffee by yourself from the pot before I woke up, continued to share the third pot with me, and are having a cup from the fourth pot now? Are you insane Tony?”
“Jury’s out.”
“Not funny. I’m going to tell Pepper to hide your Italian coffee from Venice.”
“You wouldn’t dare. That’s my good coffee.”
“Try me bitch.”
“Fine you win Mermaid tale. Just promise to leave the coffee out of this.”
“Promise to stop drinking coffee straight from the pot.”
“Ugh fine, I promise to stop drinking coffee straight from your coffee ot. You happy now?”
“Immensely. Anyways morning Aizawa-kun did you sleep well?”
“I slept fine ma’am.”
“Oh no need to call me ma’am dear, like I said last night you can call me Auntie Inko.”
“Ok… Auntie Inko..?” Inko just smiles in response to him, continuing to make the omurice that she had started right before he woke up. “Um.. are there any more coffee grounds?”
“Sure there are My Chemical Romance, I’ll start another pot for you.”
“Thank you sir.”
“You can call me Tony, kid. Remember?”
“Tony then… You guys can call me Shouta then, if you’d like.” The kid has a neutral expression on his face, but almost imperceptibly his head tilts down the smallest amount as if he’s trying not to tuck his head into his chest.
“Alright then Shouta. Now Tony is going with you to UA today and you guys are leaving here once Inko finishes the omurice so you can make your meeting with Nezu. Happy and I will drive you there and pick you up later once your classes are done. Do you have a phone?”
“No sir.”
“Here you can take the phone Tony gave me. I still have my work one. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call. Tony’s name is under ‘Billionaire Fuckhead’ in my contacts if you need him specifically. The rest of us are all in there by our names so it shouldn’t be too hard to find.”
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, just use it if you need it. Tony will probably build you a phone if he hasn’t already so you’ll have your own soon.”
“He doesn’t have to do that.”
“Here’s one thing you’ll learn very quickly about Tony. There’s a lot of things he doesn’t have to do but he thinks that he does. Not to mention he has more money than he could ever spend, and it just so happens his love language is buying gifts for those he cares about so enjoy it, and if he tries to get you something too over the top tell Pepper, she’ll knock some sense into him. Now you better finish eating and then get dressed because we’re heading out the door in less than twenty.” Rhodey gives the kid a smile before turning back to his own breakfast and shovelling it in his mouth. Shouta doesn’t have the mental or emotional energy to deal with any of what happened in the last twelve hours so he just takes it in stride, finishing his breakfast and getting ready quicker than he usually does. He gives Sushi a stroke down the middle of his back, the calico currently asleep on his pillows and flicking his tail contentedly, before grabbing his bag and leaving the room. Just as they’re leaving the house Tony gets the papers from Pepper and his lawyers for both fostering and adopting depending on what the kid wants to do. He sends a quick thank you and reminds Pep to update their NDA’s before pocketing his phone and hopping in the backseat with Shouta.
About fifteen minutes later they’re pulling up in front of the school, Happy and Rhodey waving off the two stating they’d be by to pick them up later. Shouta and Tony walk into the school together, the doors opening for them before they can even touch the keypads. They make it to the principal's office in record time without running into anyone else, sliding into the open door and heading towards Nezu’s desk. They greet pleasantries before settling down in chairs opposite Nezu’s desk where two steaming cups of tea were placed waiting for them.
“Now Aizawa-kun, we’ve been trying to talk to you about this for months but you keep avoiding us. We just want to make sure you’re safe. You’re not in trouble, you never were.”
“I’m sorry Principal Nezu-san. I didn’t mean to make you worried, I just didn’t feel like I could talk to anyone about this.”
“It’s not your fault Aizawa-kun, we failed you as teachers to make you think you couldn’t talk to us about this, especially after everything that’s happened lately. You have my deepest apologies. Now onto you Tony, what are you planning.”
“I had my personal lawyers draft these up for me. Shouta the choice is yours I want you to know that. You don’t have to feel pressured to make a certain decision this is all about you, what you want and what you think is best for you. I’m ready, willing, and able to foster you, or adopt you if that’s what you’d prefer, right here right now. If you’d prefer to go somewhere else with someone else I will personally make sure they’re vetted and good people.”
Shouta looks from Tony to Nezu and back before staring down at his lap where his hands are entangled in knots, “I.. I choose you Tony. You’ve been nicer to me in the last twelve hours than anyone has been my entire life except Hizashi, Nemuri, and.. And Oboro.” He looks up and meets Tony’s eyes. “But I don’t think I’m ready to be adopted yet, there’s still too much pain from my parents to let you become a parent to me, so for now, would you foster me? Please?”
“I’d be happy to Shouta. Anything that makes you comfortable.” Tony gives a gentle smile to Shouta, and Shouta stares back. Something like a smile in his eyes though his face remains impassive.
“With that settled let’s start this paperwork, as the two most powerful people in our respective countries I’m sure we can make this go by in a blink!” Nezu cackles as Tony and Shouta groan at the thought of paperwork. “Once the foster papers are signed Aizawa-kun I have one more set for you and your foster parent to sign.”
“... And what are those Nezu?” Tony asks warily.
“Why the permission slip to become my personal student of course!” Nezu says happily.
Shouta puts his head in his hands, “I don’t really have a choice in this do I?” he asks rhetorically.
“I’m afraid not Aizawa-kun, someone with your mind and skills is too good to let slip away! You’re mine now.” Nezu rubs his paws together before clapping them and getting started on the mountain of paperwork laid out before him.
“This is going to be a long few hours.” Tony sighs out.
After another day spent filling out paperwork with the rat, Tony waits for Shouta’s class to finish so they can go home. As he sits in the teacher’s lounge waiting for Shouta his phone rings with a picture of Obie’s face on it. Tony lets out a long sigh dragging his hand across his face before plastering on his showman smile and picking up.
“Hey Obie! It’s my favorite guy! What’s up?”
“Hey Tony I saw that piece of pure genius you sent this morning, do you think we can put a timeline on this thing?”
“I’m still doing negotiations here Obie. Tell you what let’s make a deal. You let me stay here for another month and I’ll go to the next board of directors meeting in person.”
“A month is a long time Tony. How about you throw in a live demonstration in Afghanistan in front of a couple good old fashioned military men too. Stay there a day or two and then you get a month of r and r to make up for it?”
“If it means I get another month to settle things here you’ve got a deal Obie. The prototype won’t be started until I get back since I don’t have an active workshop here so it’ll be ready to pitch by January and the demo in February if I can keep things up to speed.”
“You’re a miracle Tony! A miracle! Listen if you have any other ideas I want blueprints first got that?”
Tony sees Shouta walking into the room and holds up a finger telling him to wait a moment. “Yeah yeah. Listen Obie I’m about to head into a meeting I’ve gotta go here.”
“Alright you go lay a couple golden eggs I’ll take care of things state side.”
“Bye Obie.” Tony hangs up the phone and shoves it in his pocket before ruffling the kids hair. “Hey kid, Happy’s waiting outside you ready to go?”
“Yeah Tony.”
“Good. How were your classes?”
“Fine. Hizashi tried to get me to talk to him again.”
“Awe poor kid. Doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into. But seriously, did you talk to him yet?”
“I told him I would be ready soon, that I just needed some time.”
“But that’s good! That’s the first you’ve talked to him since the accident isn’t it?”
“Yeah. He was so happy I answered him, he was kind about me not being ready too. Told me he’d be here when I was.”
“Good, that’s so good Shouta. But remember if he’s ever not kind you can send him to Happy or Rhodey and they’ll sternly tell him that he’s an asshole. Whatever you do don’t tell me I can’t get arrested for killing a kid.” They share a laugh together walking out of the school to meet Happy and Rhodey out front.
Dinner at Inko’s that night is full of stories from their childhoods, and laughter from everyone present. After dinner is eaten they all settle in the living room for a movie, deciding on an older Disney movie about a fox and his friend who grow apart as they grow up. They all cry even though Happy and Rhodey deny it, Tony just stating that it’s a masterpiece and “If you don’t cry at fox and the hound are you even human?” Shouta and Inko just quietly accept their fate of being surrounded by idiots. Izuku enjoys the chaos and giggles at all of his uncles. After the movie Inko puts Izuku to bed and Rhodey and Happy follow, claiming early plans for the morning. Shouta says he has homework to finish before dashing off to his room with a bag of cat treats hidden under his jacket. Just as Tony is deciding whether he should go in his room as well even though his insomnia kicking in and he doesn’t feel tired at all, Inko comes back out with a look on her face Tony is terribly familiar with.
“Inko…”
“No Tony I know. It’s just. I’m getting a bad feeling. Something’s going to happen soon. I trust you to make decisions for yourself, I do! But Tony, please, he’s a good kid and I know even if nothing happens to you he’ll be against this. You know how he was with me! He’ll be even worse to a kid who you’ll be completely responsible for. And if something does happen to you I don’t want Shouta to get caught in the mess because Obadiah knows about him. Please Tony for my sake just don’t tell him that Shouta exists. Don’t let him know you’re fostering him, or that you plan to adopt him, or that he’s the reason you’re staying in Japan. I’m begging here.”
“Inko. Inko listen to me. I know. I won’t tell him. The paranoia is rubbing off on me a little it felt weird letting him know and there was a gut instinct telling me to wait. Wait until I’m sure, or until the kid is an adult and can fend for himself. I still trust Obie he’s the closest thing I ever had to a father, he treated me better than mine ever did. If I start to doubt that now I may spiral and that can’t happen. Not yet when I just got this kid. So yes Inko I promise you Obadiah will not know about Shouta. Possibly not ever but certainly not in the near future.”
“Thank you Tony. I trust you I need you to understand that, but as a mother now I can’t let you put this child who’s been through so much in any danger because of that man. I love you Tony you know that right?”
“Of course I know that Ink, I love you too like the annoying little sister I never wanted but ended up being stuck with. Thank you for caring so much about Shouta though. It means alot to me that you care about him and that I can trust you to put his best interests first.”
“He’s your kid Tones, just like Izuku is mine, I know you feel the same about Izuku it’s only right that I do my best for Shouta.” After this conversation the two head to bed, Tony feeling tired after another emotional conversation within such a short period of time.
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Back in Malibu there’s a man sitting in a leather chair holding a phone to his ear and talking to a man about weapons. He knows that if anyone found about about this he’d be screwed. But money doesn’t have morality, neither does power, and this man is obsessed with both. After guaranteeing the man on the phone an amount of the produced weapons to be given, he tells him about another job he wants done and for an extra large sum of money. “There’ll be a weapons demonstration at an army base in Afghanistan around February. I want you to blow up the transport vans and kill the man they’re transporting.”
As the man on the line agrees and they begin to hash out further details, the first man telling the man on the line that more details will come after the new year in America, the man on the phone hangs up satisfied with the business conducted. The man in Malibu, one Obadiah Stane smiles to himself as he thinks “Finally after all these years of prepping and lying low I’ll finally get the last golden egg from the goose and be rid of him. This will all be mine to do with as I please.” Satisfied with the progress of his plans he leans back in his chair and throws his legs on his desk dreaming about how this’ll all be over soon, and it will all be thanks to the very person he just put a hit on. Tony Stark.