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“Your mother had your sister earlier this morning.”
That had Izuku stopped dead in his tracks, the squeak of his sneakers echoing in the otherwise quiet hallway of the UA dorms. It was barely six in the morning, and the rising sun cast long shadows through the windows. He looked at Aizawa with wide, bewildered eyes, the gears in his mind grinding to a halt. Barely able to form a coherent question, he managed a hushed, “Really?”
He swore he could see the faintest flicker of a smile, a ghost of amusement, on the perpetually stoic face of his teacher. It was gone so quickly he almost doubted he'd seen it at all. “Really. You’re excused from all your classes today. There’s a car waiting outside to take you to the hospital.” Aizawa turned to head back to his own apartment, then paused. "And Midoriya? Congratulations."
Izuku was beside himself. A sister. The news hit him like a freight train of pure joy. His parents had stubbornly decided to wait on finding out the gender of the baby, a decision he strongly disapproved of. He'd wanted to know if he was getting a brother or a sister from the very beginning. Plenty of bets and theories from him and the rest of Class 1-A had landed on mostly all of them deciding the baby was going to be a boy. The girls, Ochaco and Mina especially, had wanted another girl, dreaming of shopping trips and sharing clothes, but when presented with the fact that mostly males ran on Inko’s side of the family, and Toshinori was an only child, they conceded, albeit reluctantly. But they were wrong. Utterly, wonderfully wrong.
“How is Mom doing? How’s the baby?” Izuku nearly shouted. Aizawa paused again and pinched the bridge of his nose, a weary sigh escaping his lips, and Izuku remembered it was only about 6:00 in the morning. He winced. “Sorry,” he said softly, deflating a little. The excitement was overflowing, but he didn't want to disturb his friends.
“As far as I know, both are fine. Your dad didn’t specify much in his text beyond the bare minimum." The tired man shrugged, stuffing his hands into his sleeping bag, which he had draped over his shoulders like a cloak. “You’d better get going, though, before the rest of the class joins us and starts asking questions. You know how they get.” He gestured vaguely towards the common room, no doubt soon to be teeming with awake students. Izuku nodded fervently, his green hair bouncing with the movement, and dashed off out the doors to the awaiting car. He glanced back, a genuine smile plastered across his face.“Thank you, Mr. Aizawa.”
Aizawa tilted his head. The corner of his lips turned up almost imperceptibly. “No problem, Problem Child. You’d better send us all a picture of the kid. Mic won’t stop pestering me about it if you don't. Says he's picking out a onesie already." He grumbled good naturedly as Izuku all but flew out the door.
Izuku’s leg bounced nervously, a constant, rhythmic tapping against the car floor as the car sped along the road. A sister! The word echoed in his mind like a mantra, each repetition bringing a fresh wave of exhilaration. He was so sure he’d have a brother. He'd even started mentally planning training sessions and hero team-ups. You never know! His mother had smiled at him knowingly when he had told her that. She was right. He chuckled to himself, picturing the triumphant glint in her eyes.
When the car pulled into the hospital parking lot, the boy nearly tripped as he climbed out of the car, but not before hastily thanking the driver, who smiled warmly. “No worries, kid. Tell your parents congratulations from me!”
After checking in with the front desk, where he was met with knowing smiles and hushed congratulations, he ran to the elevator, ignoring the polite but firm shouts of “no running in the halls!” His heart was pounding against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat of anticipation, and he felt strangely emotional, a lump forming in his throat. He didn’t understand how he was already so worked up. He hadn’t even seen his sister yet. He jabbed the button for the fourth floor repeatedly, as if that would make the elevator move faster. Up he went, the numbers on the display crawling by at a snail's pace. The fourth floor was a special wing, reserved for heroes, active and retired, in order to avoid the prying eyes and relentless camera flashes of the general public. Room 306. That’s where his mom, dad, and new baby sister were residing right now. His excitement and nervousness grew exponentially as he scanned the room numbers, his eyes darting back and forth. Upon finding room 306, a small, handwritten sign taped to the door that read 'Midoriya-Yagi', he paused, his hand hovering over the cool metal. He felt like crying. What if he wasn't a good brother? What if she didn't like him? He shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic flutter of butterflies in his stomach, and knocked softly. Silence. Then, a warm, inviting, “Come in!” His mother’s voice, softer and more gentle than he'd ever heard it. He swallowed hard, pushing the door open slowly.
His mother sat propped up in the hospital bed, her eyes glued onto the small bundle that his father held with such tenderness. Both parents looked up when he tentatively poked his head into the room. Inko’s eyes softened even more, crinkling at the corners, and she smiled gently. “Oh, Izuku, my baby. You’re here!”
My baby. Even with the little bundle next to them, his mom reached for her oldest baby first. Izuku felt the lump grow in his throat. Her tone was so full of love and gentleness Izuku was left speechless for a moment. It was a voice reserved for the most precious moments, the most tender affections. He rushed forward to her side. “Mom! How are you doing? How do you feel?” He reached out and gently took her hand, his thumb stroking over her knuckles. He felt her arms wrap around him, pulling him into a gentle embrace, and he returned the hug fiercely.
“Oh, I’m fine! I feel wonderful. Just…exhausted,” she laughed lightly, the sound a little breathy. And Izuku could see it. She looked a little more pale than usual, and the bags under her eyes were dark. But to Izuku, she looked radiant, pouring out love and strength.
"I'm so happy to see you, baby." She whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Izuku’s eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill over. “Me too.” He choked out. She glanced over to Toshinori, who smiled and nodded, his face beaming with pride. “Well, go over and meet her! She’s been waiting patiently.” She gushed, her eyes sparkling with joy.
Izuku, his heart still pounding in his chest, made his way carefully over to the other side of the bed where his father sat, looking like a giant holding a feather. He gulped, trying to keep his emotions under control, afraid he would burst into tears. “My boy,” Toshinori said affectionately, his voice a warm rumble, “meet your sister, Nana.” He looked down at the baby, a soft smile gracing his lips. "I think you two will become great friends."
The greenette gaped at the name. Nana. It resounded within him, filling him with all sorts of emotions. It was all he could do to carefully lower himself into the chair next to the bed and hold out his arms, trembling slightly, as his father gently placed the small bundle into them. She was tiny and pink and impossibly perfect. Her skin was soft and smooth, and her limbs were so small and delicate. Her hair was green like him and his mother’s, but with soft streaks of yellow in it, curtesy of her father. It was a beautiful combination that reminded him of springtime. Izuku’s breath hitched when she blinked slowly and looked up at him with her small, unfocused, but undeniably blue eyes. She was perfect. Utterly and completely perfect. He didn’t even realize he had tears streaming silently down his face until he felt Toshinori gently brush them away with a tender hand. He was too in awe, too overwhelmed by the sheer miracle of her presence, to even say thank you.
“What do you think of her?” He heard Inko ask, her voice laced with anticipation. Even though he wasn’t looking at her, he could tell she was also crying, her breath hitching slightly. It took Izuku a moment to gather himself, to find the words that could possibly express the emotions swirling within him, before responding, his voice mixed with tears, “S-she’s...I love her,” was all he could manage, a statement of absolute truth. He heard his dad chuckle wetly beside him and felt him place a kiss atop his head, his large hand warm and comforting against his hair. Ah, so they were all crying. A Midoriya-Yagi family tradition, apparently.
“So do we. I must admit I started bawling like a baby myself when I first saw her.” Toshinori admitted, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. Izuku didn’t blame him. He would too, but he was afraid of getting his tears on Nana’s little pink face. He gently bent his head down, careful not to jostle her, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. His unruly hair must have tickled her nose though, because she scrunched up her face and sneezed, a tiny, adorable sound. Izuku’s eyes widened, and finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. The dam broke.
“She’s so cute!” He wailed, his voice cracking with emotion. He heard both adults laugh, a sound of unadulterated joy, and felt Toshinori gently take her out of his arms. He didn’t mind, too overwhelmed to even protest. He couldn’t very well wipe away tears and snot with his arms full of precious baby. To his dismay, poor little Nana was startled by his outburst and began fussing, her face turning red.
“Shhh,” her father cooed as he gently rocked her, his large hands surprisingly deft and gentle. “It’s alright, sweet girl. Your brother just loves you a lot, is all." Nana was not consoled. Soon her fussing turned into full-blown crying, a high-pitched wail that tugged at Izuku's heart.
“I’m sorry,” Izuku gasped, catching his breath after sobbing his eyes out. “I didn’t mean to scare her-“
“It’s alright, Izuku,” Inko giggled. “She’s okay. But...Toshi, here, she might be hungry now.” She held out her arms expectantly, and her husband handed the baby over with a knowing smile. “Oh, baby girl, I know, I know, just give me a second.”
Toshinori got up to help Inko get situated to feed Nana, adjusting the pillows behind her and making sure she was comfortable, while Izuku turned away, out of respect (and slight embarrassment) for his mother’s privacy. He busied himself by rearranging cards of congratulations and well wishes (how were there already so many?!) on the table, his mind still reeling from the whirlwind of emotions. After a minute Inko gave him the clear to turn around again. Nana was under the nursing cover, her tiny fists clenched, and Inko was leaned back against the pillows, her eyes closed and a peaceful smile gracing her tired features. Even after the strain of labor and pregnancy, Inko was glowing, radiating strength and serenity. Izuku felt so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing mother. It made him emotional all over again.
“Tsukauchi and Gran want to stop by and see her sometime today, if that’s alright, dear?” Toshinori said while looking at his phone, presumably reading text messages from the two. Izuku tried to picture stubborn and tough Gran Torino, a man who barely showed affection, holding something as precious and delicate as baby Nana. The image was both absurd and incredibly heartwarming.
Inko hummed contentedly. “I need a shower first. And a nap. You should probably sleep too, honey. You were up practically all night with me.”
The retired hero smiled softly and kissed her temple, his eyes filled with love and admiration. “I’ll be fine. It’s you who needs sleep. I’ll watch over Nana.”
“Toshi, I love you, but you look terrible,” Inko laughed, her voice laced with affection. “The nurses will be around to check on Nana, please get some sleep. You'll be no good to both of us if you're running on empty!"
Toshinori laughed sheepishly and nodded. “Alright, fair enough.” He knew when he was outmatched.
Inko gathered her things and went to go take a long, hot shower, while Toshinori flopped down gently on the bed next to Inko’s hospital bed, sighing contentedly. Izuku stayed glued to Nana’s crib, still too in awe, too captivated, to leave her side. He watched her chest rise and fall with each tiny breath, mesmerized by her innocence.
“How are you feeling, kiddo? I know it’s been a lot to take in at once.” Toshinori smiled at his son, his eyes crinkling at the corners, a warmth that chased away the fatigue etched on his face.
Izuku glanced at his father, his eyes shining brightly. “I’m great! I-“ he ducked his head down, suddenly shy, like he was embarrassed by the intensity of his emotions. “I never realized I could love someone I’ve never met before just as much as...well, just as much as I already do love Nana. She’s already everything to me, and I’ve only known her for an hour.”
Toshinori’s heart swelled with love and affection for his boy. He was so proud of the kind, compassionate young man Izuku had become. “C’mere, bud,” he said softly as he patted the side of the bed. Once Izuku reached him, he engulfed the boy in a warm, comforting hug and pulled him down onto the bed, his arm draped protectively over his son. He could feel Izuku’s rapid heartbeat against his side, felt his unruly green hair brush against his face, and all at once, Toshinori realized how incredibly lucky a man he truly was. He had a loving wife, a son he was immensely proud of, and now, a beautiful baby daughter. His life was complete. “I feel the same,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “When she was born, I thought my heart would simply give out from how much love it filled up with. You, Mom, and Nana are my entire world, and I’m the luckiest man on earth.”
Izuku hummed as a comfortable silence settled over the room. The rhythmic beeping of the machines faded into the background, replaced by the soft sounds of Inko humming softly in the shower, and Nana’s tiniest snores next to them. Izuku leaned into his father’s side, the warmth and solidness of him a comforting presence. He finally felt the exhaustion from the past few days of anticipation creep in, the adrenaline wearing off and leaving him drained but content. He snuggled closer to Toshinori, burying his face in his father’s side. The scent of cologne mixed with the sterile smell of the hospital created a uniquely comforting aroma, a scent that would forever be associated with safety, love, and family.
“Dad?” he mumbled, his voice muffled by his father’s clothes.
“Hmm?” Toshinori responded, tightening his grip on his son in an affectionate squeeze.
“Do you think… do you think I’ll be a good big brother?” he asked, his voice laced with a hint of uncertainty. It was a question that had been hovering in the back of his mind, a small seed of anxiety planted amidst the overwhelming joy. He desperately wanted to be the best big brother possible, to protect and cherish Nana just like his father and mother protected and cherished him. But he was still just a kid himself, he realized, still figuring out the world and his place in it. What if he messed things up?
Toshinori shifted slightly, pulling back just enough to look Izuku in the eye. His blue eyes, so like Nana’s, were filled with a sincerity that struck Izuku deeply. He smiled softly, his gaze unwavering. “Izuku, you are already an amazing big brother. Look at how much love and care you already have for her, even though you just met her. That’s more than half the battle right there.” He cupped Izuku’s cheek, his thumb gently stroking the soft skin. “You are one of the kindest, most compassionate people I know. You have a huge heart, Izuku, and you’re going to fill Nana’s life with so much love, support, and laughter. You’ll be her hero, her support, her best friend. I have no doubt in my mind that you’ll be the best big brother a girl could ask for.”
Izuku’s eyes welled up with tears again, but this time, they were tears of relief and gratitude. He sniffled and nodded, a wobbly smile forming on his face. “Thank you, Dad,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “I won’t let you down.”
“You never do, Izuku. Never,” Toshinori said, pulling him back into the hug. They lay there in comfortable silence for a few more minutes, the warmth of their love filling the room. Izuku’s eyelids grew heavy, and he felt himself drifting off to sleep, finally at peace. Just as he was about to succumb to the pull of sleep, Toshinori spoke again, his voice soft and conspiratorial.
“You know,” he whispered, “I have a feeling Nana is going to be quite the handful. I can tell she already has your mother’s stubbornness and my… let’s say ‘flair for the dramatic’.”
Izuku giggled, a soft, sleepy sound. “Oh no,” he mumbled.
“Oh yes,” Toshinori chuckled. “We’re going to need all the help we can get. Prepare yourself, Izuku. Big brother duty is about to begin.”
Despite the exhaustion weighing him down, Izuku felt a surge of anticipation. He was ready. He was ready to be a big brother, to face the challenges and celebrate the joys, to love and protect Nana with all his heart. He mumbled a sleepy agreement, his smile widening as sleep finally claimed him. Toshinori watched his son drift off to sleep, his heart overflowing with love. He closed his eyes, his mind already planning all the ways he would help Izuku navigate this new chapter in their lives. He knew it wouldn’t always be easy, but he also knew that they would face it together, as a family. He felt a sense of peace settle over him, a deep contentment he had never known before. He was a husband, a father. Life was good.
Nana hummed in her sleep, seeming to agree.