Chapter Text
Rody Soul entered the jet’s cockpit with practiced ease. His courses focused on commercial planes, but his instructor permitted him to fly one of the fighter jets today. Being the top student in Otheon’s Aviation Academy came with perks.
Pino buzzed around the cockpit as Rody flipped various switches and checked his meters. She sang a never-ending stream of chirps and tweets. The notes bounced around in the small space, providing a melody to match the rhythm of Rody's heartbeat.
“I’m excited too,” he said to her. “But the sooner you land, the sooner we can take off.”
Pino settled on his left shoulder. He felt her body vibrating with unbridled joy, pink feathers ruffling until she resembled what Lala referred to as Puff Puff mode. Rody patted her head and earned a light titter in return.
“Is your co-pilot secure, Soul?”
Rody quickly adjusted his mask and goggles. He rolled his eyes briefly at his instructor’s teasing, but he couldn't be too annoyed. She'd cleared the test flight for him, after all. “Yes, Jet 22 is prepped and ready for take-off.”
His instructor radioed back, “Flight tower confirmed fly status. Jet 22 take-off from lane three.”
“Copy.”
This was far from Rody’s first time flying the jet, but his exhilaration never dampened. He gripped the yoke and checked his pressure gauges once more before taxing the jet over to lane three. The airfield was slow today since classes were on break. Most of the people here today were maintenancing the aircrafts, leaving Rody a pleasantly empty view of lanes under a sunny sky.
He'd never get used to this.
“Soul to flight tower, Jet 22 awaiting permission for take-off.”
“Flight tower copy. Jet 22 is permitted for take-off.”
And then, with a smile audible through the radio static, she added, “Let it rip, Rody.”
He grinned. “I always do, Captain.”
Pushing the yoke forward, Rody began the rapid pace down the take-off lane. The roar of the jet engine was all he could hear as the arrow on his speedometer ticked further and further.
2200 km
2400 km
2600 km
Lifting up on the yoke, Rody climbed into the sky as he hit Mach 2.0. The g-force pinned him to the seat as he left the city and his worries thousands of kilometers below him.
Laughter bubbled up his throat and slipped out of his lips. The yoke was solid in his grip as the jet hurled through the sky. He brought it into an even coast, admiring the large swaths of clouds suspended against the blue sky.
“I take it you're having fun up there?”
His instructor, Isabelle Carol, was one of the best pilots out of Otheon. Over 10 years in the business and as an aerospace engineer, Rody immediately recognized her when he first walked onto campus. She'd been in charge of Rody’s orientation during his first day at OAA before becoming his mentor. Her sandy hair was cut just above her shoulders, and she’d peered over the edge of her aviator glasses at him and Pino.
“What’s with the bird?”
He swallowed, reeling from the dream-like situation he found himself in. “This is Pino. She's my Quirk.”
His answer earned the Captain's interest. She chuckled. Bristling, Rody opened his mouth to defend Pino, and essentially his pride, but she cut him off.
“What a perfect Quirk for a flight student,” she said. She pointed at Pino. “You ready for the first day of the rest of your life, Little Wings?”
Pino, who quickly readjusted at Rody’s sense of relief, saluted with her wing and a solid chirp.
Captain Carol clapped her hands together. “That’s what I like to hear. Welcome to Otheon Aviation Academy, Rody Soul.”
Nearly a year later, Rody was a few exams and flight hours away from earning his Commercial Pilot's License. And, thanks to the world-class flight simulators at OAA, he had plenty of practice getting his body used to Mach speed.
Rody radioed back. “What makes you say that?”
“I swore I heard giggling.”
“Must have been the radio. Or Pino.”
“Guess I can check the black box when you land.”
Rody mentally cursed. “I wouldn't call it a giggle. It was a laugh. A normal laugh.”
“If you say so,” Captain replied, voice smug. “Now, what are you doing just hanging up there? I told you to let it rip.”
Rody’s body tensed in anticipation. “Didn’t want to show off too soon.”
He didn't wait for a reply as he yanked the yoke up.
The jet complied as Rody sent it into a series of flips. He didn't hold back with the laughter now, his whoops adding to Pino’s chirps as adrenaline lit up his nervous system. They swooped through the clouds as Rody completed aerial stunts, performing a one-man show for anyone whimsical enough to gaze up at the heavens today.
His heart soared alongside the jet as he let loose all his training. Eight months of flight school and a lifetime of hardships and sacrifice to have this moment. Friend of the clouds and home among the atmosphere, Rody had the world at his fingertips.
“Spectacular flying, Pilot Soul.”
Pilot Soul. It always sounded sweet.
“Thank you, Captain.”
When his body was properly sore from the G-force and giddiness, Rody circled back down to earth. He coaxed the jet into a smooth landing and taxied it back to the hangar.
One day, he would take Izuku for a ride. He smiled to himself at the thought. Dinner and a jet for two. It couldn’t get much better than that.
His ears rang from the lack of engine noise as he took off his mask and climbed out of the pit. Captain was already making her way over, dressed in her usual cargo pants and combat boots.
“You seem happier than usual. You look like a lovesick puppy.”
Rody jumped down onto the concrete, acutely aware of gravity’s pull after spending so much time defying it.
“What can I say, that’s some smooth steering,” Rody said, patting the side of the jet appreciatively. He decided to keep the mushy thoughts of his boyfriend to himself. Not that Captain didn’t know about his random ties to heroes in Japan (some files needed to be declassified for his application), but he wouldn’t hear the end of the teasing if she knew how tangled he was with Iuzuku.
She stopped short of Rody and hummed in agreement. “This is one of my favorites.” She ran a hand along the wing and quirked an eyebrow at him conspiratorily. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to leave the cushy commercial world and join the fun side?”
It wasn’t the first time she had asked him, and Rody doubted it would be the last. While he loved flying jets, Rody refused to switch from commercial to military flight. He had two important responsibilities waiting on the other side of his apartment door for him each night, and a third across the ocean. Rody counted his lucky stars for his second chance, a one-way ticket to a better life, and he was holding on with bruised and bloodied knuckles. Forget Mach speed, the rate at which Rody Soul went from a boy with nothing to having too much to lose left him dizzy.
He shrugged. “I already laid down my life once for the world, I think I’ve reached my quota.”
She waved her hand in dismissal, but he caught the smile on her face. “Ah, I get it. But don’t say I didn’t tell you so when those stale airline crackers and long layovers lose their sparkle.”
Rody wasn’t bothered by her persistence. Isabelle Carol was a rare combination of renowned in her career and an unforgettable teacher. She backed her reputation by running a tight ship at the academy. High expectations produced highly equipped pilots. She sniffed out passion in students like a bloodhound. Balancing authority and empathy, Rody could tell how happy it made her when her students reached those heights they dreamed about, regardless of her personal opinions.
Moving further into the hangar, she pushed her sunglasses into her hair. “By the way, how are the two rascals doing?”
“Never ceasing to amaze me, as always,” Rody answered.
Lala made friends with everyone in her classes, and Roro was the captain of the math club in his grade. Rody’s anxiety about adjusting to their new life turned out to be a waste of energy. The two kids accepted each new experience with curiosity and grace. His therapist insisted their stability was thanks to their big brother’s role modeling. Rody ignored Antonio’s praise at first, which Antonio was quick to point out was a defense mechanism from his existing guilt for all the things he did when trying to survive and abandonment issues from losing his parents. Rody responded to that revelation by launching into a lecture about the defensive mechanisms installed in planes to prevent crashes, earning Antonio’s knowing smile that signaled they would circle back to the topic at a later date.
Safe kids, three square meals a day, a fulfilling job, and a support system. Rody never thought he’d be this wealthy in his life.
“I’m glad to hear it,” Captain replied, and Rody knew she meant it. They passed a row of fighter jets at rest in the shadows of the hangar. The one closest to them shone under a light beaconing down on an older model. The light revealed a pair of cargo-clad legs standing on a ladder underneath the belly of the aircraft, the mechanic's upper body disappearing into one of the maintenance pits. But Rody knew those specific overalls and dirty boots anywhere.
“Paulo!” Rody called out. At the call of his name, Paulo ducked down, safety goggles glaring back under the light and a blue bandana holding his hair back.
“Rody. Captain,” he greeted as the two made their way over to the mechanic. Paulo was a man of few words. The other students called him Mouse or Silent P. Rody figured his mouth wouldn’t be able to keep up with the mainframe of his brain, nor would any of them be able to understand him - Paulo was one of the best mechanical engineers in the Academy’s history, and only a year older than Rody. People assumed it was a Quirk, but Paulo dismissed this, simply stating, “I don’t have an intelligence-based Quirk, just intelligence.”
“You're working on our day off?” Rody asked. “It’s wonderful outside.”
Paulo rolled his shoulders, straightening up now that he was in the open. He stood a good head taller than Rody. Despite his quiet demeanor and nicknames, Paulo's chest and arms were solid muscle, making him rather intimidating until you got to know him. “People will be enjoying the weather. It’s quiet in here, and I can get more work done.”
Rody grinned. “Fair enough.”
Paulo took off his goggles and fished his regular glasses out of his overall pocket. A curl of black hair escaped the bandana, and he blew it off his forehead with a huff. “You were flying earlier?”
“Yeah, did you get a chance to watch?”
The taller student nodded. “Good maneuvering. The engine sounded healthy.” That was high praise in Paulo speak, and Rody preened.
“Wasn’t she great? Smooth as butter.”
The butter comment caused a slight downturn in Paulo’s mouth, probably trying to figure out what butter had to do with flying, but Pino took that opportunity to tweet out a song and land on Paulo’s shoulder. He offered a slight smile and ran his finger over her head.
“Hi, Pino,” Paulo said. When Rody first explained his Quirk to him, back during their first week at the Academy, Paulo sat in silent awe, watching Pino float around them in the classroom. He’d then spouted some information about organic versus chemical matter, which didn’t make a lick of sense to Rody, and then asked how fast she could fly. Rody appreciated Paulo’s interest in her as a bird and not as a cheat code into Rody’s psyche.
Captain inspected the jet Paulo was working on, more out of appreciation than apprehension about his skill. “Make sure you don’t forget to eat something today, Cruz.”
Paulo nodded but kept his attention on Pino, earning an affectionate eye roll from their captain.
“That’s an order, kid,” Captain said. Snapping to attention, Paulo saluted her, and Pino mirrored the gesture.
“Yes, Captain.”
Rody laughed and waved goodbye before following the captain into one of the small offices along the side of the wall. Paperwork and aerial maps littered the desk under the fluorescent light as Rody took the seat across from his teacher.
“How are interviews going?” she asked, cutting straight to the point.
“Good,” Rody reported.
She raised an eyebrow. “Just good? The flying I just witnessed would make a veteran cry.”
“Aw, Captain, did you shed a tear?”
“I’m surprised you didn’t,” she countered. Her smirk faded. “Rody, you should have at least a few offers by now, especially this close to graduation.”
Sighing, Rody rubbed his forehead. Pino sunk into his front pocket, quiet.
“You know what the issue is,” he muttered.
Captain shot him a look, her incredulity thinly masking anger. “They’re still on about that? Saints, your transcripts and records are so clean they practically have bubbles on them.”
Bitter, Rody replied, “Not clean enough to remove a stain, I’m afraid.”
Crossing her arms and kicking her boots up on her desk, a storm passed over Captain’s features. “They are prohibited from asking you directly about anything involving Humarise or their terrorist attack, especially anything not already published in the papers.”
“They’re not asking directly.” Rody leaned back, body and head suddenly aching. Each interview had gone the same. His tie sung around his neck and spine straight, sitting alone across a big table from six adults, their collective experience triple Rody’s age.
“Impressive resume and your letters of recommendation are outstanding.”
His chest puffs out with pride.
“Mr. Soul, what would you do if wrongdoers took you hostage on the plane?”
Weird, but not unusual. They’d prepared for any type of emergency possible at OAA.
“Prioritize the safety of passengers by landing the plane as soon as possible while trying to communicate with air control, if possible. Sir.”
“Right, good. But what if someone close to you was in danger? It’s one thing to risk your own life, but what if your family were in danger?”
Rody’s cheeks felt plastic from how tight his smile was. These questions were expected of military pilots, considering the danger of their positions. But Rody would be flying passengers for commercial airlines.
“Well, the Otheon Pilot’s Association partners with the government to ensure the safety and privacy of all pilots and their information. However, at any moment, under whichever circumstances, the passengers and crew are my priority. I’ll do anything to keep them safe.”
They didn’t expect his professional tone, and Rody didn’t expect them to believe him. It seemed like they had already made up their minds before he walked through the door, despite Captain Carol’s glowing recommendations.
“Glad to hear that, Mr. Soul. Since you obviously care about the safety of your passengers, is there anything not in your records that would cause potential concern? You must understand, we have to be incredibly risk-averse in this profession.”
The same old song and dance. If he didn’t say anything, they’d know he was lying. If he confirmed the story they all knew by now, they’d have grounds to reject his application due to their low risk tolerance.
Captain Carol clicked her tongue, bringing Rody back to the stuffy office cube. “Cowards and idiots, all of them. Let me talk to a few people.”
Rody frowned. For once, he wished he didn’t need the right person with the right connection to vouch for him. He was an amazing pilot and perfect for the job. That should be enough.
He should be enough.
But he couldn’t lose all he’d gained because of his bruised ego. The locket resting against his chest reminded him of why he kept walking into those interviews, again and again.
“Thank you, Captain. I wish I could repay you somehow,” he said, staring at the floor.
“Rody.”
He snapped his gaze back to her at her tone.
She steeled her gaze on him. “You want to repay me? Don’t let these bastards get to you.”
Rody shook his head to hide his flush. “I’m assuming that’s an order?”
“Affirmative.”
“Watashi wa Roro to mōshimasu.”
“Wotashi wa-”
“It’s watashi.”
“Watashi wa Rody to mōshimasu.”
“Good. The next is where you’re from.”
“Watashi ha Otheon syussin desu.”
“That’s where you were born.”
“Pretty much the same thing, right?”
Rody and Roro sat on the steps of Otheon Central Public Library with a copy of Learn Japanese: A Beginner’s Guide spread open on Roro’s lap. Rody had changed out of his G-suit after leaving the academy’s airfield to pick up Roro and Lala, but he kept his goggles on and used them to push the hair out of his eyes. A cool breeze lifted the corners of Roro’s book as he scanned the pages.
“Don’t you and Izu practice?” his brother asked.
Rody nodded. “I can pretty much understand what he says, but my pronunciation is rusty.”
“You should get Yamada to help. He’s helping me with English, and I’m teaching him Otheonian.”
“And how’s that going?”
Roro’s smile was mischievous. “He uses music to learn, so he found a random song. After he sang it for me, I told him it had a lot of curse words in it. You should have seen his face.”
“That sounds like him,” Rody snorted. “I’d rather have seen Aizawa’s face.”
The two winced, familiar with being on the receiving end of the Aizawa stare. Even through a screen, the look didn’t lose any intensity.
“Are we meeting with them tonight?”
Rody frowned. They had weekly video calls, and, much to Rody’s surprise, he found himself looking forward to the meetings as the months flew by. Maybe it was the way Lala eagerly leaned into the camera to show the teachers her latest drawing or plant, or the way Aizawa let Roro rattle on about his latest 3D model like he didn’t have a whole class of hero students to worry about. The routine wrapped Rody up in a blanket of normalcy so unlike everything before, he almost forgot what their actual jobs entailed.
“They said we’d call them later this week. They’re on a mission today.”
Roro’s shoulders sank. “Is Izu on that one, too?”
He was. The word “civilian” rang harshly in Rody’s ears. It always came before the dreaded “confidential”. Relationship status meant little when it came to missions, and without any details and against Izuku’s wishes, Rody couldn’t stop the weight of panic that pressed against his chest whenever the hero went dark. It was all he could do to keep it from crushing Roro and Lala as well.
“Yes, but he said he’d call tomorrow.”
Despite Rody's assurances, Roro’s body deflated a bit more, and his eyes clouded with apprehension.
Rody bumped their shoulders together. “Aisukurīmu ga hoshīdesu.”
Roro perked up and flipped through the pages of the book, and translated, “I want ice cream?”
“Fantastic idea, Roro!” Rody ruffled his hair. “Let’s go see what’s taking your sister so long.”
Roro rolled his eyes at his older brother’s attempt to cheer him up, but Rody knew his siblings could eat ice cream like no one’s business.
Right on time, Lala skipped down the stairs to them with Pino trailing her above.
“Ready!” she said, proudly brandishing her bag of new books and an impressive amount of seed packets. The day that Noa, the kids’ favorite librarian, introduced Lala to the seed library was one of the best days of the girl’s life. Their apartment balcony was practically a jungle at this point. “They had a packet of daffodils!”
Roro and Lala talked over Rody as they made their way down the busy city street. He tried to lose himself in the sensations of his city; the smell of coffee spilling out of the sidewalk cafes and the corner musicians plucking at their guitar strings. Being present was one of his assignments from Antonio.
"Therapy homework? Don’t I have enough on my plate?"
"Yes, but this is just as valuable to your goals as maths."
"How so?"
"Mindfulness teaches the brain to process moments without judgment. It helps us learn to stay grounded while developing our concentration. You must concentrate while flying, yes?"
"It’s definitely recommended."
Antonio smiled, never once offended by Rody’s persistent sarcasm. "You’ve mentioned the pressure of protecting the life you’ve created for yourself and your siblings. That’s valid. But overprotectiveness can lead to fear. Anxiety. Defensiveness. Gratitude, on the other hand, is healthier. It leads to appreciation. Joy."
His brown eyes bore into Rody’s. "You’ve sacrificed a lot for this life. I think you deserve to enjoy it, don’t you?"
Rody took a deep breath and ticked off the high points of his day: jet streams, daffodils, and ice cream.
The older gentleman at the ice cream truck smiled when he saw his regulars approaching and started scooping up their usual orders - chocolate for Roro, strawberry for Lala, and lemon for Rody. When Rody asked for his name after their fourth visit, he insisted the kids could call him Uncle Theo.
“The Souls! Always a good day when you stop by,” Theo greeted. His tan skin wrinkled at the corners of his eyes as he reached down to hand Lala her treat first. He’d parked his ice cream cart here for years, as the sun spots on the tops of his hands could attest. “A trip to the library, I see? Can you teach an old man something new?”
Without missing a beat, Lala shoved a bite of ice cream into her mouth before saying, “Chrysanthemum flowers can be boiled into tea to help with headaches.”
“But we haven’t learned not to speak with our mouths full,” Rody chided.
Theo winked at Rody. “It seems your brother could use some of that tea of yours.”
Pino chirped a response for him.
Roro and Theo exchanged the latest news about the football league. The two were both avid fans of Otheon’s national team and carried on like they had money on the outcome. Rody snorted to himself as he dug in his pocket for cash.
“No, no. It’s on the house,” Theo waved his hand dismissively at Rody.
Rody froze. “You sure? We’re not…we’re not struggling or anything.” His chest tightened a bit. It was the honest truth. Treating the kids was something in the budget now. A budget that didn’t depend on the food pantry or Rody’s nimble fingers to sneak a bar of soap into his pocket at the store.
He still felt like a fraud in moments like this. Like his clothes suddenly grew holes again, the kids appeared a bit too skinny for their age. Back in the day, Rody might have seen Theo as a mark. He would have used Theo’s good nature against him to sneak some money out of the tip jar, an easy target. What was once his reality seemed warped and twisted in his memory as he stood, plenty of cash in his hand to pay and leave extra.
Calling him back to the present, Theo clapped a hand on Rody’s shoulder with a chuckle.
“I’m sure Mr. Pilot Man has enough, but it’s my treat.” He grinned at Lala. “We’ll call it even for teaching me something!”
Rody’s heart calmed, and he nodded at Theo. “Thank you, sir. What do we say, kids?”
“Thank you, Uncle Theo!” Pino chimed in as well, flying in loops over the small umbrella attached to the cart.
Theo patted his chest, right over his heart. “That’s payment enough. Stay out of trouble!”
If only Theo knew how much Rody went through to do just that.
The three took their time walking back home. Rody concentrated on the lemon flavor dancing across his tongue and Roro’s rambling about the next football game coming up.
Rody’s thoughts spun about the act of kindness. He and his siblings were treated better by adults now than they were when they were trying to survive on the streets. The looks he’d get posted up in an alley behind the restaurants asking for any of their leftover food still haunted him. People acted as if poverty were a contagious disease. If I give this starving kid a piece of bread, he’ll come back for more, and then we’ll run out of bread. Their hesitation and skepticism were barely contained in their expressions. But now that Rody could afford things, people saw a happy, young family and were gracious with their time and care.
Of course, not everyone was like this, but the irony bittered Rody’s lemon ice cream. He went back and counted the highlights of the day again: jet streams, daffodils, ice cream, caring adults.
Roro was mid-bite of his treat when he froze.
“What’s wrong? Brain freeze?” Rody asked, wiping a smudge of strawberry ice cream off Lala’s cheek.
“You said they were all on a mission today?” Roro asked.
Rody quirked an eyebrow. “Yes.”
Roro pointed at the TV screens in the electronics shop they were passing.
“Reporting live from Jaku City. As you can see, absolute devastation has befallen the area after an all-out war against pro-heroes and a group of villains called the Paranormal Liberation Front, which has drawn much speculation regarding their ties to Shigaraki-”
A piercing tone filled Rody’s ears, drowning out the newscaster’s report. Distantly, he knew he was standing on the street in Otheon, but everything felt blurry. The only sharp image was clip after clip of the ruined city on TV, thousands of miles away. EMTs and first responders were pulling people out of the rubble as heroes and civilians alike were strapped to gurneys and rushed into the backs of ambulances. The cries and sirens picked up by the crew’s microphone sent adrenaline rushing throughout Rody like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head.
A quick movement at his side snapped him forcefully into the present. Lala had dropped her ice cream and rushed to press herself up against the glass.
“Where’s Izu? He’s there, right? Rody, we have to find him! He has to be okay!”
Rody wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into him. Her hands left fingerprints where they’d been pressed against the glass. Pino had crumpled on top of Roro’s head, completely silent.
“C’mon, let’s go home, we’ll figure things out there.”
He wasn’t sure how he’d found his voice or how he kept it from shaking. Rody managed to put one foot in front of the other for the three-block walk back to their apartment, his silent phone a ticking bomb in his pocket.
“Rody,” Lala’s wobbly voice contained anticipatory grief as they walked over the threshold. The tan Roro’s face sported from the spring sun faded as pallid anxiety took over.
“It’s okay,” Rody hushed. “They’re going to be okay. They’re all heroes, remember? They do this stuff all the time.”
Except they also checked in with Rody after every mission. Hell, they had barely used the word mission to describe it. Yamada called it overtime, and Izuku said it was just backup.
Rody’s stomach churned as he made his way over to the TV and scanned the channels, hands shaking. Pino had started up again, fluttering in the air over his shoulder.
It turned out that both Yamada and Izuku’s descriptions were woefully underestimated. “Backup” didn’t land prime-time news coverage on every single channel, but here was the gritty reality, broadcasted behind live reporters in Kevlar as cameras caught every angle of the destruction.
“It’s now confirmed that the heroes planned a surprise attack on the villains’ stronghold. While details on what caused the plan to fail so spectacularly are unclear, responders and those able to are continuing to rush the injured to other municipal hospitals since Jake General Hospital was caught in the wreckage.”
Rody stood flanked by both siblings. He must have taken Lala’s hand at some point. Her fingers squeezed his as she stuck her other thumb in her mouth, something she hadn’t done since she was two.
A sharp inhale came from Rody’s left side. His brother was wringing both hands. “It’s gone. Their whole city is gone.”
“I see heroes,” Lala pointed at the screen. Rody might have recognized a few, but he didn’t care to name them right now. Lala voiced his exact fear in the next instant.
“I don’t see our heroes.”
Their heroes. He’d never considered that before, that his family had their own trio of heroes. Heroes who knew their school schedules and made sure they had enough money for groceries. A hero who stayed up past midnight to tell Rody about his latest Quirk theory and that his mom said hi.
Their mundanity over the last year had coaxed Rody into submission. He let his guard down, and before he knew it, Izuku, Yamada, and Aizawa had stopped being heroes to him. They were something much stronger, something that reminded Rody of his life before the trailer park.
“Just in, about 11,000 members of the self-proclaimed Paranormal Liberation Front have been apprehended, while 12 Pro-Heroes have been confirmed dead.”
Rody’s knees buckled. At the same time, Lala threw herself onto the floor in a fit of sobs.
“Shh, shhh, Lala,” Rody coaxed, collapsing next to her.
Roro was still standing, but his eyes and voice were empty as he repeated, “Dead.”
Rody gathered both his siblings in his arms. “It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.”
He repeated the words over and over as Lala soaked the front of his shirt and Roro sank further into a catatonic state. Pino perched himself on his brother’s shoulder, nudging his cheek with her head. The mantra wasn’t enough, and Rody himself couldn’t hold out much longer.
He dug his phone out of his pocket, numbly registering the texts from Paulo and Captain, and dialed out.
One ring.
You’ve reached Midoriya Izuku, please leave a message-
Rody gripped the phone until it hurt. The foreign language spilling from familiar lips nearly finished him.
“Izuku,” he said. “Please call me back.”
Without a second thought, he called Aizawa.
Voicemail.
Rody called Yamada.
Voicemail.
Lala’s cries quieted as she waited for his update. Rody opened his text thread to his guardians.
Saw the news. Are you okay?
He chewed his lip and then added.
Kids saw it too, they’re pretty freaked. Lmk when you have a second
“They didn’t pick up?“
As much as Rody was relieved to hear Roro’s voice again, he wished he had a better answer.
“No, but that doesn’t mean anything. Izuku said he and his classmates were just assisting today, so they’re probably busy helping the EMTs.”
His phone beeped.
“Wait, wait,” Rody ordered, trying to rein in the chaos as the two scrambled over him to get a look at his phone.
Paulo’s name appeared on his lock screen. It was his third text compared to Captain’s five. Paulo knew fewer details about Rody’s past compared to their Captain, but he knew Rody had special people in Japan, and the way Rody’s voice changed when he talked about Izuku.
Rody. It’s Paulo. Are you home?
The blunt, straightforwardness was familiar to Rody. This is how Paulo always texted, which made the next two texts all the more chilling.
I’m worried, I saw the news about Japan. Please call or text me back.
Rody, I hope you and your family are okay. I told Captain, but she already knew. Please call me, I am here for you.
The lump in Rody’s throat threatened to choke him. He opened his messages from Captain next.
Rody, call me.
I hope you are with your brother and sister. Please let me know when you get my messages.
I have friends in the Japanese military. I’m reaching out to get more information.
Water blurred Rody’s vision as he read her message, desperation clawing the inside of his chest.
Pilot Soul, I need a status update.
And then the last one.
Just let me or Paulo know you’re okay.
He’d never defied his Captain’s orders before, and he didn’t want to start now.
Rody dialed out. She picked up on the first ring.
“Rody.” Her tone was sharp with something Rody couldn’t place, but it was solid enough to calm the tremor in his hands.
“Captain,” he started. He cleared his throat around that god-forsaken lump. “Captain. Were you able to get in contact with your friends?”
“Not yet. I don’t want to risk sending out a message on the air channels in case it’s intercepted. But, I did hear from a source that there are no fatalities amongst the hero students in Jaku City.”
Rody pressed a fist into his lips enough to bruise to keep an embarrassing sound from slipping out. He closed his eyes, fighting for composure. Pino lost it for him. He was sure she could hear the constant flow of squawks and whistles in the background as his Quirk zoomed around the entire apartment.
“Thank you, Captain.”
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.” A beat of silence hung in the static between their phones. “Rody, keep your siblings inside today and tomorrow. While Japan is at the center of this mess, my contacts are saying the ripple effects will be hard to contain in other countries.”
Bile rose in his throat. He wanted more information, but Lala’s tears had started up again. “Will do. I’ll check in if I hear anything.”
“Every hour, Soul. Stay safe.”
A check-in every hour seemed excessive, but considering his Captain’s network, he didn’t argue.
“What’s going on?” Roro asked as soon as Rody hung up. He pulled Lala into his lap to better comfort her.
“Izuku is safe,” Rody said. He knew he was lying by omission. Izuku was alive, but that didn’t mean anything in terms of safety. And if he hadn’t heard from Yamada or Aizawa…
Rody rocked Lala in his lap. “Captain said the hero students are safe.”
Lala’s wailing turned to smaller sobs of relief. “What about Zashi and Zawa?”
“If his students are there, then Aizawa will be with them.”
It felt true enough. Rody knew how protective his guardian was over Izuku’s class, and in a fight this catastrophic, he doubted much would keep the teacher from his heroes in training.
Roro slumped onto the couch. “What about Zashi?”
“I’m sure he’s helping out, or he’s with Aizawa.”
Lala sniffled. “He might be with Eri.”
Guilt flooded Rody at his momentary forgetfulness. Was Eri alone now, or was someone with her? “That’s a good point, Lala.”
The next hours felt like days. The three of them sat on the couch, watching as reporters swapped out for breaks and repeated the same updates: Fatalities climbing. Rescue teams continuing to search the rubble. Shelter locations for Jaku City locals. No news from UA or the Hero Association.
At some point, both kids fell into a fitful sleep, pressed on either side of Rody. He pulled a blanket down on top of them all, afraid moving them to their rooms would wake them. Despite the roller coaster of emotions, his face was dry with unshed tears from earlier. Pino’s feathers were soaked, having released the emotions he fought to keep a lid on.
The TV screen cast the apartment into an eerie shade of blue light. The news out of Jaku City had halted the world, and the normal city sounds that would float through their balcony window were subdued tonight. The quiet made Rody’s head buzz as he stared at his blank phone screen.
Right then, his mind pulled up a memory of battle-worn Izuku kneeling over him. The image was fuzzy since Rody’s blood was emptying his body at a concerning rate, but his eyes locked onto the freckled smile above him. Izuku slipped his bruised and broken hand into Rody’s blood and grime-covered one, and they laughed like they’d both shared the world’s funniest joke. Looking back, Rody realized they were both delirious with pain, adrenaline, and relief. Yet, with Izuku by his side, he knew right then and there that everything was going to be okay.
His bottom lip trembled. He sucked in a breath and bit it down.
Rody let his head fall into the cushion behind him as Pino quietly cried into the early morning hours.
Chapter 2
Notes:
Hello lovely readers! I hope life is treating you well wherever you are in the world
This chapter is mostly exposition to get us to the more action/plot focused plans I have for the rest of the story. because of that, it's a bit more on the shorter side, but I wanted to get it out sooner rather than later. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you to all of those who left kudos and comments on the first chapter<3
and in case you missed it, WE HAVE FANART! Thank you a million to void-inked-pen for drawing Rody:) You can see it here and leave them lots of love: https://www.tumblr.com/void-inked-pen/784670762620551168/rodys-from-the-fic-white-blood-by
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“You can fly now?!”
“Technically, I just float.”
Rody stares at the screen with his jaw open as Izuku levitates a good foot above his dorm room floor.
“Technically, that’s cool as hell,” he replies in genuine awe. “That’s two out of seven.”
“I know. I hope I can master this one before-” Izuku suddenly launches forward, arms wheeling for balance - “the others manifest.”
Rody scoffs fondly. “You flung me half across the city while being chased by police and an assassin. You’ll manage to hover in the air.”
“I appreciate the confidence.” Izuku manages a grin before pitching forward again, getting stuck upside down. His shirt falls with the new angle, bunching around his shoulders and revealing an expanse of back muscles.
Rody hates the distance between them. He stows the familiar ache in a safe in his mind and uses a locking system so intricate it would make his father proud.
“On second thought, maybe you don’t need to master this one fully,” he jokes instead. “The view is definitely saving my day.”
The back of Izuku’s neck is exceptionally red from both the flirting and the blood rushing to his head. “I’m glad one of us is enjoying this.”
“Me too,” Rody sighs into his pillows as Izuku slowly spins to face his phone, his front coming into view. He crosses his arms across his chest in defiance, which only makes his upside-down pout funnier. Rody tries to focus on the levity of the situation instead of the fresh scars across Izuku’s abdomen and arms. He knows what it means to be with Izuku, the future Symbol of Peace and target number one for the most dangerous villian in the world. And he would make the same choice over and over again without hesitation. But the confidence in his decision doesn’t make the reality any easier.
Pino scoots closer to where he has his phone propped up on the bed as if she could fly through the screen.
Rody would never stop Izuku from chasing his dreams. He just wishes he could be running next to him.
“Rody?”
“Hmm?” He snaps back to the moment, schooling his features.
Izuku’s cheeks dimple even when he frowns. “Is everything okay?”
I miss you. I have everything I’ve ever wanted, and I’m the worst because it’s not enough.
“Just peachy,” Rody smiles. Pino levels a glare at him, as tough as it can be for a pink bird. “Although I think your brain will burst if you don’t get yourself right side up soon.”
Concentrating, Izuku throws himself upwards and cancels the Quirk, landing in a crouch. Pino’s celebratory tweets are hushed since it’s late at night but convey enthusiasm nonetheless.
“Thanks, Pino,” Izuku says, running a hand through his tousled hair before sitting down in front of his laptop camera. Her eyes are the size of the moon as she gazes shamelessly at the screen, preening and cooing at the attention. Rody can’t blame her.
Izuku chews his lip. “Are you sure everything’s okay? You seem a little spacey.”
The thing about dating a hero in training is that they have a sixth sense for the slightest bit of unease. It’s easier to conceal it when they’re not physically together, but Izuku can pick up on the slightest detail in Rody’s pixelated expression.
Rody doesn’t want to hide this from him, but Izuku has the world on his shoulders. If he knew about the intrusive thoughts Rody’s dark brain conjures up (like a hero memorial service, and Rody meeting Izuku’s mom for the first time dressed in black), or the anxiety that clogs his airways when Shiagraki’s name is mentioned during their conversations, then Izuku would take mercy on him and stop talking to Rody about all of it. And knowing how much Izuku wants to be a hero, Rody refuses to take that away from him. He can stomach a little panic and a few nightmares if it means Izuku can rely on him. Rody can be strong for Izuku when Izuku is being strong for everyone else.
And, thankfully, Rody has been there for Izuku during those darker moments. A couple of hard battles turned into harder nights, resulting in Izuku’s labored breathing over the phone, self-doubt and fear shaking his voice while Rody repeated in vivid detail how amazing a hero Deku is.
So yeah, Rody needs to tough it out. Needs to repay Izuku for all he’s done to better his and the kids’ lives. Maybe he should talk to that new therapist of his about it.
Rody pulls the covers up closer to his face, discreetly hiding Pino and muffling an indignant chirp. “We’re reviewing flight regulations and laws in lecture this week. I think I might be coming down with a case of severe boredom. Some would say cases this extreme are fatal.”
Izuku takes the bait and laughs. “I’d never thought I’d hear you describe anything flight-related as boring.”
“Exactly! This is how they weed out the serious pilots from the amateurs,” Rody continues, his bravado working overtime. “But don’t worry about me, I’m a professional.”
“I thought your condition was fatal?”
“I said some would call it that. But I’ll beat the odds.”
“Because you’re a professional.”
“The most professional,” Rody nods.
Izuku folds his arms on his desk before resting his head on them. “How are your classmates? And you said you like your instructors?”
“Everyone at the Academy is either wicked smart or they have family members in aviation. It makes class discussions fun,” Rody rambles, glad to have thrown Izuku off his trail. “One of the mechanics in my squad seems cool. His name is Paulo, and he took a liking to Pino. Well, seems to like anything that can fly, really.”
“Sounds like you two will get along just fine then,” Izuku grins.
Rody hums in response. “I think you’re right.” Friendship was out of Rody’s reach for years. Betrayal stung him when his dad first disappeared. He watched the neighborhood kids slowly disengage with him, taking their footballs and camaraderie with them. The sharp pain faded into a dull ache as time passed, and Rody was too preoccupied with survival to miss juvenile things like sleepovers. He knows the neighborhood kids were just listening to their parents' warnings, but he wonders what it would have been like to have at least one friend to share his thoughts and dreams with, to remind him of his age when he felt nothing like it. He and Izuku were friends before partners, but the intensity of everything about their relationship was unconventional, to say the least.
Rody imagines a normal friendship. He pictures him and Paulo grabbing a slice of pizza on the weekend and studying together in the library before finals, hyped up on caffeine and cracking jokes when they can’t bring themselves to focus on the textbook anymore, or just hanging out and playing video games together. The tingly sensation in his chest tells him he's been missing out on something special.
“I think I’m going to get his number next time. It’s probably a good idea in case we ever need to get each other’s notes,” Rody confesses. Now that it’s out in the universe, he has to follow through with it.
Izuku leans closer to the screen. “I think that’s a great idea.” Pino tweets under the covers in agreement.
“You would love our flight training instructor, Captain Carol,” Rody continues. “She’s definitely got a hero vibe. She’s super passionate about the students, and she’s a hell of a pilot. She pulled off a Cuban 8 maneuver in just six months of flight training!”
“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds very impressive.”
“Imagine if all of your Quirks manifested and you mastered them all in a few weeks.”
Izuku’s eyes widen. “Damn.”
“Damn is right,” Rody smirks. “And we get to learn from her. No wonder this is the best flight school in the region.”
“You’re going to do amazing, Rody,” Izuku says. His expression softens as they lock eyes over the screen, and Rody hugs his pillow closer, wishing it were him.
“So are you,” Rody whispers. Even though no one else is in the room with them, besides Pino, he’s afraid that speaking any louder would disrupt the moment. The two of them worked out a schedule to call each other that balances their eight-hour time difference. Sometimes Izuku would call in the morning (Otheon time), that way he could talk to Roro and Lala too, but nights were Rody’s favorite. The world faded beyond his phone screen as they filled each other in on their week before eventually signing off. On particularly special nights, mostly the weekends, Rody falls asleep to the sound of Izuku’s voice and wakes up to his gentle breaths on the other line. It’s not quite the same as waking up in the same bed, but it's enough for Rody to pretend.
“I should let you get some rest,” Izuku says. It’s not a weekend this time, which means Izuku has class soon and Rody needs to sleep before his.
Rody stifles a yawn, not wanting to hang up but struggling to fight sleep. “And I guess you shouldn’t be late for homeroom, then we’ll both hear from Aizawa.”
Izuku shudders. “Let’s avoid that.”
“Have a good day, Izuku,” Rody says.“Good night, Rody.” Izuku goes to end the call and then halts. “Oh, I forgot to ask you something.”
“What’s up?”
“Am I dead?”
Ice fills Rody’s veins. “Izuku, what are you talking about?”
Izuku tilts his head in confusion. “The battle. You saw it on TV, but you haven’t heard from Mic or Eraser. Do you think I’m still alive?”
Sweat breaks out on Rody’s forehead as his heartbeat reaches a dangerous staccato. “What battle? We’re on the phone with each other right now.”
“Oh,” Izuku blinks. “You’re not awake yet.”
“Huh? What do you mean I’m not awake? I’m awake right now.” Rody should be embarrassed by the desperation in his voice, but he’s not. Not a single bit.
“Zuku, this isn’t funny. What’s going on?”
A pained expression crosses Izuku’s previously joyous face. “I’m sorry, Rody, I don’t mean to scare you. But I think it’s time you woke up. You don’t know if I’m alive.”
A piercing tone fills the space around them. Izuku can’t be dead. That’s impossible.
“Izuku-“
Rody wakes with a violent jolt. He blinks sand out of his eyes and tries to move his body, panicking his way into reality. It takes ten full seconds to recognize the living room and an additional seven to realize he’s on the couch.
Air works its way back into his lungs as Rody forces his muscles to relax. Safe, safe, safe his mind yells at him. He’s home. He fell asleep on the couch with Roro and Lala. They’re both sleeping on either side of him, with one snoring and the other drooling on his arm. There’s an ache in his neck from sleeping at a weird angle.
Rody catalogs each detail around him until he feels attached to his body again. He spots Pino smooshed between Roro’s shoulder and cheek. Her eyes won’t stay open despite her efforts, but her feathers are ruffled in the way Rody knows she feels danger of some sort.
“It was just a nightmare,” he whispers to her. “Stay with the kids, please?”
She yawns in response before Pino cozies further into Roro. Extracting himself from the tangle of limbs and hands, Rody manages to get up without alerting the kids. He snatches his phone from the floor and goes out the balcony door, gently shutting it behind him. The city is at the cusp of waking up under a pale blue dawn. Street vendors are just now beginning to set up their carts to catch the morning crowd, and the roads aren’t clogged with traffic yet. Rody sits on one of the rickety patio chairs they bought when they moved in and finally checks his phone.
Rody's stomach feels like a jet in freefall when he sees no missed calls from Izuku.
“Goddamnit,” he curses and runs a hand over his face.
The dream started as one of his favorite moments with Izuku before it twisted itself into a nightmare. Even though Rody knows Izuku is alive thanks to Captain’s intel, he doesn’t know what the conditions are. He could be hooked up to life support right now, or in immense pain when Rody is sitting here, none the wiser.
Like he was when his dad died.
Rody pushes bile and grief back down his throat and checks his phone again. Notifications from Paulo light up his phone, and the last message from Captain tells him she’s still receiving information from her contacts.
Rody should be searching for information, too. He opens an internet tab and begins scanning the news articles about the Jaku City battle. Every article and video he finds echoes the same staggering amount of destruction and casualties. Despite the arrest of over 16,000 members of the Paranormal Liberation Front, the main characters, including Shigaraki, still escaped, along with Nomu.
“Ew,” Rody shudders. He remembers Izuku’s description of the creatures in vivid detail during one of his battle analysis spiels. Yet, he can’t help but click on the attached video, needing to see it himself to comprehend.
He immediately regrets it. A hulking, purple creature stalks down an alleyway towards a group of escapees while someone films from a street over. Its brain is exposed to the open air, and its beak snaps viciously at the civilians, revealing a jagged row of teeth. Veins ripple up and down its imposing body as it hurls a car at them like it weighs nothing. Rody steels himself, glad he hasn’t eaten breakfast yet and goes to click out of the video before the inevitable conclusion.
Mind and stomach spinning, Rody sits back in the chair and exhales. Monsters lose on the streets while heroes are laid up in the hospitals after a catastrophic event is an absolute cluster-fuck that Rody tries to wrap his head around.
He’d give just about anything to hear Izuku’s voice right now.
At that moment, his phone buzzes with an incoming call.
“Hello? Izuku?” Rody immediately answers, not bothering to check the number.
“No, it’s Paulo.” A beat of silence passes. “I’m sorry.”
Rody is torn between disappointment heavy enough to break ribs and relief so sweet he could cry. “No, it’s okay. I’m really glad you called.”
“About that,” Paulo coughs. “I’m outside your apartment.”
“Have you heard anything?”
“No. I just started reading the news reports.”
Paulo sits at the desk in Rody’s room while Rody positions himself cross-legged on his mattress. Rody had ushered his friend in and quickly motioned to the sleeping kids on the couch. And bless Paulo for immediately shoving a large to-go cup of coffee into his hands and heading straight for Rody’s room without a sound. He knew the apartment layout from multiple study sessions and weekend visits to watch football matches with them. Paulo was just as avid of a fan as Roro, which worked out because Rody only knew the basics of the sport.
“I was reading, too,” Paulo says. He takes a sip of his own coffee and swivels the chair to face Rody. “My mom is abroad right now, and the airports are considering locking down.”
“Why would they lock down? Wouldn’t they want to stay open for evacuation?”
“They’re worried about the convicts fleeing Japan.”
“Convicts?!”
Paulo winces. “Maybe you didn’t get that far in the news. Tartarus was destroyed by villains, and nearly everyone inside escaped.”
“Shit,” Rody sighs. “I thought the Nomus were bad enough. How could this get any worse?”
Paulo grimaces.
“Jesus Christ, what now?”
“The pressure is getting to the heroes in Japan. Many are stepping down.”
Rody’s grip tightens dangerously around his cup. “Stepping down? If anything, people need them to step up!”
Paulo’s eyebrows crease in the middle of his forehead as he looks at Rody with sympathy. A curl of black hair sticks out from his bandana and touches his glasses. Today’s bandana color is navy blue, which matches his OAA t-shirt and Converse.
“I wish I had good news,” Paulo says, fiddling with a metal bracelet around his wrist. “My mom says everyone is uneasy about what’s going on, worried it will inspire villains from other countries to take action as well.”
“Like dominoes,” Rody mutters. “It’s starting a chain reaction.”
“I hope the remaining heroes in Japan can stop it in time.”
“What about your mom? Is she trying to come home early?”
Paulo’s mom was infamous in academia for her work as a sociologist, and she traveled frequently to speak at conferences and lead guest lectures. His dad was content to watch over Paulo and his older sister growing up.
“She called my dad late last night and is trying to get the first plane back home before anything gets worse.” Rody watches his friend zone out, eyes glazing over as he stares out the window. Similar to the Souls, the Cruz family was incredibly close. Paulo insisted on Rody joining them for dinner after the first month together at the academy.
“I would love to but I have to make dinner for my siblings.”
“They are welcome, too. My dad loves cooking for people.”
Rody quickly remembered why he struggled to find anyone his age to hang out with. Even though losing custody was no longer a threat thanks to their guardianship, it was awkward telling another 18-year-old about his parental responsibilities. “I appreciate that, but they’re younger. I don’t want to impose.”
“And I’m sure they’re just as polite as you are,” Paulo stated, undeterred. He adjusted his glasses and looked at the wall opposite them. “I don’t have a lot of friends. I think the obsession with mechanics and math tends to scare people off. My parents wanted to thank you for helping me adjust to the academy, and if you need to bring your siblings, they wouldn’t mind.”
Rody’s mouth moved wordlessly in confusion, and he silently willed Pino to stay in his shirt pocket when he felt her nearly vibrating with gratitude.
“Thank me for helping you? I can manage my own in most classes, but I definitely wouldn’t be getting the grades I am if we hadn’t studied together. If anything, I should be inviting you over for dinner.”
The response was met with a smile, a rarity from Paulo who found comfort in neutrality. A shame, Rody thought. Paulo had perfectly white teeth that stood out even more because of his dark skin and the curve of his mouth made his cheeks pop. It was a contagious smile.
“There’s more to school than just grades, you know. Trust me when I say you’ve made it all easier.”
And really, who was Rody to argue against such sincerity?
Paulo had been right, too. His parents were thrilled when all three Souls, plus a very anxious Pino, showed up at their doorstep for dinner. The food and conversation warmed Rody in more ways than one, and a small part of him tried to be jealous of the life he could have had if his parents were still alive. But watching Paulo interact with his parents and his sister only made him thankful that someone as genuine as Paulo had loved ones.
Rody clears his throat. “Paulo?”
Dark brown eyes meet his stare as Paulo tears his gaze away from the window.
“Your mom is going to be okay. She’ll come home soon.”
His friend stares back at him, a little lost for words, before gracing the morning with that rare smile. “Thank you. Although I came here to comfort you, not the other way around.”
“Oh, this coffee is the best thing that’s happened to me in the last eight hours,” Rody says before taking a dramatic sip. “Really, you’ve outdone yourself.”
Paulo is mid-eye roll when both their phones chime.
The small reprieve from seconds earlier fades as Rody nervously picks up his phone.
“They canceled classes,” Rody blurts out after reading the text alert. “Why would they do that?”
Paulo reads his phone and frowns. “Like you said earlier, I think the dominoes are starting to fall. It seems all the schools are closing out of an ‘abundance of caution’.”
“We don’t have school today?”
The boys jump at the interruption before seeing Lala standing in the doorway.
“Looks like it.” Rody goes to pick her up, belatedly wondering how much longer he’ll be able to do so. Much like her plants, his sister has sprouted a few centimeters over the past few months. “Paulo, would you like to stay for breakfast?”
Paulo stays for breakfast and eventually lunch before he heads home, with a promise to hit Rody up if he hears anything from his mom.
Twelve hours have passed from the initial news breaking to now, when Rody finally gets the call. Despite being thrilled to receive contact from any of them, he wishes Izuku had called him instead, and instantly feels guilty about being picky at a time like this.
“Yamada,” Rody answers.
“Hey, kiddo.”
He flinches at the sound of his guardian’s rasp.
“Are you okay?”
Yamada lets out what Rody assumes to be a chuckle, but it comes out more like a wheeze. “Sounds like I gargled a bunch of nails, doesn’t it? I’m okay considering the shit show it’s been. Won’t be hosting the radio show for a while, obviously, but I’m all in one piece and breathing.”
Torn between wanting information and sympathy for Yamada’s injuries, Rody hesitates.
“I’ll cut straight to the chase,” Yamada continues, sensing apprehension. “Izuku is here receiving treatment in the hospital.”
Relief crashes into Rody and leaves him kneeling on the floor. Thank you thank you thank you.
He’s not sure who the message is for, but he’s compelled to thank the universe for not taking someone away from him this time around.
“That’s…that’s so good to hear.”
He hears the sympathy in Yamada’s tone despite his fried vocal cords. “He’s getting treatment, but he’s been in a coma ever since he got here. The doctors say this is to be expected with how much his body has been through, but I know it’s still scary news.”
Stomach churning, Rody presses a hand to his mouth. He had a front-row seat to how much pain Izuku could handle during their road trip. An arrow through the chest was only a six on the Izuku Midoriya pain tolerance scale, and Rody knew because he’d asked one night when they were both about to fall asleep on the phone, and his thoughts were loose and darkly curious.
Never mind the whole shattering his bones multiple times. Rody knew one thing for certain: Izuku was tough. The fact that his body shut itself down due to stress and exhaustion conjured intrusive images in Rody’s head that he immediately shoved away.
He swallows bile and remembers there’s another person he’s worried about.
“How is Aizawa?”
This time, the silence comes from the other line.
“He lost an eye,” Yamada finally speaks.
“Shit,” Rody curses before he can stop. Then, more gently. “I’m so sorry.”
“Shigaraki knows how to deal the most damage, that’s for sure.”
“Please tell him we’re thinking of him.”
“I sure will, kiddo. Now, this might be a dumb question, but how are you and the little ones holding up?”
Rody wasn’t sure, but he knew Yamada well enough now that he could be honest with him.
“I think the kids will be worried about Izuku and Aizawa, but it’s good to have an update.
“I wish I could have called you sooner, sorry to keep you in the dark.”
“You’ve got a lot on your plate right now,” Rody says in the biggest understatement of the year.
“You, Roro, and Lala are still a priority and always will be.”
He wasn’t sure what to do with that. Not because Rody didn’t trust Yamada, but he’d never considered himself, Rody Soul, and the word "priority" to ever be in the same sentence unless “not” was in between.
“If you don’t mind, could you say hi to Roro and Lala? I think they’d like to hear from you.”
“Of course. You don’t think my voice will worry them?”
“Maybe, but I think they’d be more mad at me if I didn’t let you talk to them.”
Rody pads through the short hallway to the kids’ rooms, where he finds them both on the floor in Roro’s room, working together on a Lego set, with Pino wearily perched on Lala’s shoulder.
“Hey, you two, someone would like to say hello.”
They both jump up and crowd into his space before Rody pushes the speaker button.
“He sounds tired, but he’s okay,” Rody prompts them, hoping it's enough of a warning.
“Hey, little listeners!”
Roro and Lala beam. “Zashi!”
“If it's not my favorite kids in all of Otheon! How are you two? Did you have a good week at school?”
Lala’s face falls. “Zashi, you need to drink a cup of tea.”
Rody is about to chide her, but their guardian laughs as loudly as his current predicament allows. “I sure do! That sounds pretty amazing right now. Will you drink one too after we get off the call? That way it’s like we’re drinking them together!”
“I will! I pinky promise.”
“Thanks for looking out for me, Lala.”
Roro takes a more blunt approach. “How are Izuku and Zawa?”
Rody holds his breath. Pino shudders violently on Lala’s shoulder.
“They’re both sleeping right now. We’re all at the hospital so the doctors can heal us faster. But as soon as they wake up, I’ll make sure we all call you.”
“We saw the bad guys on TV,” Lala frowns. “They were hurting people. Are they hurt?”
“That must have been scary to see. Yes, the villains hurt us, but we had a ton of help from other heroes, and now we’re all safe at the hospital.”
The looks on their faces are far from comforting, so Rody interrupts.
“Do you both remember where you first met Izuku?”
“At the hospital, when we went to see you,” Roro answers.
“That’s right. And do you remember how hurt I was?”
They both nod but don’t say anything. It took Rody weeks and many bandages to heal from that wound, so he knows they both remember too well.
“I was really happy to be at the hospital because it meant I was going to get better,” he continues. “But do you know what helped me even more?”
“What?” Lala asks.
“You two were there when I woke up. It made me feel safe, which helped me focus on getting better, and I did get better. We’re going to support Izuku and Aizawa as you did me when I was in the hospital, that way they can focus on getting better.”
“But Mom didn’t get better when we saw her,” Roro whispers.
Pino whistles a low tune at the same time Rody's breath leaves his chest.
“You’re right,” Rody finally says, blinking through the sting in his eyes. “But she’ll still ask us to visit her, right? She still wanted to see us.”
Roro nods, eyes fixed on the carpet.
“Everyone is going to be okay,” Yamada chimes in. “We also have one of the best healers in the country helping Izuku. And your brother’s right, they will be happy to talk to you when they wake up. I know I feel a whole lot better now.”
The rest of their conversation is like their normal weekly call, with the kids telling Yamada about school and their hobbies while he interjects with a funny joke or question to show the kids he’s interested. It allows Rody time to breathe and collect himself while he silently listens.
“Alright, I know you two should be getting to bed soon,” Yamada says. “I need to talk to Rody again, but you both drink some tea for me and sleep tight. Sweet dreams only!”
They both wish Yamada a good night, and Rody lets them continue their Legos while he takes the call out of the room.
“It shouldn’t surprise me anymore, but you’re stellar with them,” Yamada praises. Then, more somber, “How are you, Rody?”
“You asked me that already.”
“And you immediately talked about the kids. Now I want to know about you.”
Maybe it was his experience as a radio host that made Yamada the perfect balance of disarming and inviting. Regardless of how Rody wanted to respond, Pino’s mournful coos would reveal him anyway.
“I’m scared.”
“What specifically are you worried about? If you had to put words to it?”
Being abandoned again. Losing someone again.
“That something worse will happen to Izuku, or you and Aizawa.”
“And what if it does?” Yamada asks, not unkindly.
“I won’t be there. I can’t do anything.” Rody’s hand forms a fist on instinct, as if he could beat these emotions bare-handed.
“Mhmm. Lack of control. That’s always a doozy, especially when it’s people you care about.” Despite the casual words, Yamada spoke with an air of heaviness that told Rody it was deeply personal. He remembers the conversation they had on the roof when Yamada visited Otheon.
“I don’t want to sugarcoat it,” Yamada continued. “It’s not easy, feeling helpless. Feeling isolated. But if I could speak for Midoriya, there’s nothing more motivating to a hero than knowing there’s someone out there cheering you on.
When the battle just keeps going on, with no end in sight, and you’re stuck wondering how much more your body can take, these little flickers of memories of the people who love you will be the thing that keeps you standing. Knowing you have to save the person in front of you is a worthwhile pressure, but knowing you have someone to return to is reprieve. It allows us to fight harder even when we think we can’t possibly go on.”
Believe me when I say that even though you feel powerless, your existence is powerful to Midoriya. It’s power for us.”
The amount of time before Rody speaks is telling, composing himself quietly.
He sniffles one last time before saying, “I see why your radio show is so popular.”
Yamada laughs, but it comes out as a hoarse sigh. “I have the gift of talk, might as well put it to good use.”
“Thank you.”
Rody means it. He’s still feeling a bit useless, but not as hopeless anymore.
"Anytime. I might not be able to answer right away, but keep calling me if you need something, and I will get to you as soon as I’m able.”
They hang up, and Rody’s heart is half alive again.
“He’s going to wake up,” he promises Pino. She doesn't make a sound as he puts the kettle on the burner to make them all tea.
Notes:
Paulo was a last minute add to the first chapter, but as always with my random OC, I'm so glad they knocked on the door to be let out lol
Chapter 3
Notes:
I'm back!! Sorry for the delay. Not only did this chapter take turns I wasn't expecting to introduce this early on, but I recently moved and started up classes again so it's been busy busy. But it was so much fun writing this chapter!
My biggest references for this fic are, of course, the MHA World Heroes Mission movie, and its corresponding MHA wiki page. However, I am taking some liberties with canon since we don't have a lot of details about what happened after the mission was resolved in the movie! Also, I promise this will have Rodeku in it, but a reminder that this will be mostly a Rody-centric fic
A million thank yous for all of the kudos and comments on the last chapter<3 It truly is the biggest motivation when I'm stuck on a scene or powering through writer's block!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Otheon goes into lockdown the next day.
School is canceled until further notice. Shops board their windows. Yamada texts Rody as soon as he sees the news.
Izuku still isn’t awake.
“Last name Soul? You’re part of Group E, and your emergency zone is the Otheon City Library.”
A safe space for the kids. A small win.
“Thank you.”
Rody hangs up on the city official as the news cast shows yet another area of Otheon covered in broken glass and debris.
“What group are we in?”
The kids are posted up in the living room. Roro has a book open on his lap while Lala sprawls out on the floor, drawing yet another “Get Well Soon” picture to send Izuku. Rody notes Roro has been on the same page for the past half hour, the TV monopolizing his little brother’s attention despite his efforts to distract himself with a book.
“Group E. We’re allowed out for essentials from three until five every other night.” He attempts some levity. “The library is our emergency zone.”
This announcement is met with mixed reactions from the kids. Even though it’s their favorite place in the city, they’ll only go to their emergency zone in the event that the villains push heroes and enforcement out of their city sector. Japan was the first domino to fall, and now the rest were set into motion.
The OBC continues to broadcast throughout the hours, with the usual straight-laced, blonde journalist looking worse for wear as he repeats the hourly summary. Dark shadows mark his under eyes as he drones on, “As with other nations, Otheon is experiencing unrest as tensions rise among local villains following the Jaku City battle in Japan. Within the last 24 hours, they have formed a domestic branch of the Paranormal Liberation Front, or PLF, continuing to sow unrest and destruction throughout the city. Otheon PLF members are considered dangerous. If you encounter a member, find a safe place as quickly as possible and then alert the authorities. OBC continues its on-the-ground coverage to keep our viewers informed of evacuation and emergency plans.”
Unrest was a woeful understatement. There really was strength in numbers, and Otheon’s bastardized version of the PLF was slowly taking over the country, jailbreaking and freeing more villains along the way. Any Otheon heroes that were hoping to relieve those in Japan were forced to stay back and defend their own home, with Otheon City being the prized stronghold where the groups would inevitably clash.
Unsurprisingly, the Soul’s old neighborhood was one of the first places hit, and hit hard. Rody was stuck in a twilight zone this morning, watching a news camera zoom in on their old mobile home as it went up in flames, with villains running rampant. Despite all the failures it symbolized in Rody’s life, it sheltered them when he needed it most. His coffee had tasted bitter as bleary eyes watched fire swallow the structure whole. Rody taught Lala to read there, and he and Roro spent every night hovering over the stove trying to make scraps into feasts in their cramped kitchen. Nostalgia ripped through him as he remembered the marker lines measuring the kids’ heights with each birthday on the door frame. The camera caught the somber moment of their memories disintegrating into smoke and ash.
Thankfully, the kids had been on the balcony tending to the plants during that particular news report, and Pino’s shaking had calmed by the time they came back in. Rody sent a text to Stan, checking in about the bar without any real expectation he’d get a response. But it felt like the right thing to do.
Waiting for a response seemed to be his life’s theme now.
Rody checked his phone for the millionth time in the past hour. Captain had emailed their class, encouraging them to follow the emergency protocols the government put in place. She then texted him individually and ordered him to keep checking in with her.
If I don’t hear from you three times a day, your jet flying privileges will be revoked was the last text he got, the threat thinly veiling her worry for him. He hadn’t missed a check in since.
No news about Izuku.
No news is still good news, he tries to tell himself. But it's easy to ignore his own advice when each report that comes out of Japan shows a new angle of complete wreckage.
“How are we going to mail these?” Lala asks, frowning at the pile of pictures for her favorite patients. “They said the mail has stopped.”
Rody winks at her. “I know a guy. We’ll get them mailed, I promise.”
That’s the other theme in Rody’s life at this moment. Making promises he can’t guarantee.
His sister is none the wiser about his false confidence. She simply nods, satisfied with his response, and resumes her drawing with a frightening amount of determination and a purple crayon.
Roro is harder to comfort. Rody watches his brother chew his nails and fiddle with the corner of a bookpage, eyes glazed over on the TV.
He knocks his shoulder against Roro’s when he takes a seat next to him on the couch. “Whatcha reading now?”
“A book,” Roro deadpans, eyes not leaving the screen.
“A book about?”
Roro robotically hands the book over to Rody in lieu of a response. Sighing, Rody takes it and reads the title, “City Jungles: The World’s Best Urban Gardens?”
Rody’s question is met with a noncommital hum, followed by a sharp peck on Roro’s leg from Pino.
“Ouch! Pino!”
Shameless, she offers a stern chirp before settling again on Rody’s shoulder, definitely turned away from him with ruffled feathers.
“You’re spacing out,” Rody says. “Everything okay?”
The deadpan look his brother gives him makes Rody huff.
“You know what I mean. Is everything okay…despite what’s going on?”
Roro turns to the TV again, and Rody is about to call him out for it, until his brother finally speaks, quiet enough that he almost misses it.
“They’re destroying so much.”
As if on cue, the news camera pans to yet another neighborhood street full of rubble from falling buildings and unidentified liquid from pipes jutting out from the concrete, all set against a background of fire and smoke. Swarms of EMTs and first responders have medic tents and ambulances ready, forming a controlled chaos as they rush around to the injured and dazed.
Rody steals a glance at his brother, whose attention has returned to the screen. Underneath the worry and fear, a more mature emotion underlies his expression. He can’t place it, but it sends Rody’s heart into a free fall as he considers the fact that his baby brother is growing up.
“They really are,” he agrees.
“People’s homes are gone.”
Roro sounds utterly dejected, and Pino coos gently in an effort to soothe.
He wraps an arm around his brother, like he did the day they said goodbye to their childhood home.
Roro sniffles into Rody’s shirt. “What if they destroy our new home?”
“They won’t.” Another promise he can’t control, and this one tastes extra bitter. He hugs his brother tighter.
“We’re safe.”
“Roro.”
Lala appears by their side, hands on her hips, and Roro lifts his head from Rody’s embrace to peer at her.
“Even if the bad guys come, we’re home when we’re together,” she says. “So, we’ll always have a home.”
Pino tweets with an enthusiasm Rody didn’t know his emotions could manifest as she flies around his sister before giving her a soft peck on the cheek.
Rody beams at his sister before he tousles Roro’s hair. “Lala’s right. Houses are special, but for me, home is wherever you two are.”
He feels Roro’s body relax against his as contemplation crosses his brother’s face.
“I have an idea,” Rody adds. “When this is all over, I bet they’ll need some volunteers to help put the city back together and pass out food. Would you like us to volunteer, Roro?”
Wiping his eyes with his arm, Roro nods. “I’d like that. And thanks, Lala.”
“That’s what I’m here for!” she sings-songs and turns back to her drawings.
Rody shakes his head fondly before turning back to his brother. “So, tell me about city gardening.”
“I want to go with you!”
It’s 3:00pm, and Rody is trying to maintain control over the household. “It’s not safe. You need to stay here with your sister.”
Said sister is clinging to Rody's leg with a surprising amount of strength for a seven-year-old. “I want to go too!”
“Absolutely not. You’re both staying here. The store isn’t that far away, so I’ll be back before you miss me.”
“If it’s not that far away, then why can’t we go with you?” Roro argues.
Rody tries to remember at what point things fell apart after their touching moment this morning. It was probably right around the time Lala’s stomach growled and he opened the fridge to find it dangerously empty.
“Because I’ll be quicker if it’s just me,” Rody replies, trying to pry Lala off him.
“What if something happens to you?”
“It won’t. And I’ll have Pino with me.”
On cue, Pino puffs out her chest and gives her best menacing glare.
It’s not effective.
“I won’t slow you down, I promise,” Roro pleads.
“You both took 15 minutes to decide on what ice cream you wanted last time,” Rody deadpans.
“We weren’t in a hurry then!”
Rody shakes his head. “I’m going to the store, you’re both staying here. I’m going to get us food for the next couple of days, and then I’m coming right back. And you’re not going to open the door unless you hear our special knock.”
His tone must have been harsher than intended, because neither kid replies, and his leg suddenly feels lighter.
“Good. Now that’s settled, please look after one another and do not open the door under any circumstances.”
He triple-checks the lock when he leaves, and Pino pecks it once for good measure. Rody knows this is far from the first time he’s left the kids alone, but the tension in Otheon is palatable. Even the air feels heavy when he steps onto the street for the first time in 48 hours. It’s not raining yet, but it’s a near thing, as grey clouds settle on the buildings and dip into the streets.
Rody eyes the police posted on the corners, as well as the few civilians who must be in the same assigned emergency group. A prickle runs up his skin as he observes his city without its normal fanfare and bustle. It’s been reduced to a ghost town, almost unfamiliar to him without the noise of the streetcar and constant chatter from vendors and tourists. It even smells different; smoke from burning rubber suffocates any scent of coffee or fresh pastries. The Otheon branch of the PLF must still be locked in a stalemate with heroes on the outskirts of the city, according to the last news report. Broken windows and debris still litter the street, evidence of looters who took the opportunity while heroes and police focused elsewhere. A few years ago, Rody would have done the same thing.
Their usual grocery store is two blocks away, and Rody keeps his head high and pace steady, knowing all the ways not to draw attention to himself. The kids had been a good distraction, but now, in the eerie silence, his thoughts inevitably crawl back to Izuku.
What was their last conversation? It feels like a lifetime ago. Izuku mentioned going on a backup mission for the heroes, but avoided sharing details because of Rody’s civilian status. Did Izuku have any suspicions of what would happen? How terribly wrong it would all go? If he did, then he hid any clue of it from Rody, who was none the wiser during their video call. But if Izuku suspected anything, wouldn’t he have at least said something to Rody?
At least three little words?
Pino sighs from her spot in his jacket pocket.
“There’s a war going on, and I’m worried if my boyfriend likes me as much as I like him,” Rody mumbles. “I need to get my priorities straight.”
The door chimes when he walks in, nodding at the employee behind the cash register, before grabbing a basket. There are only three other people in the mart, and Rody clears his mind to the task at hand so he can get their food and return home.
“Tomatoes, garlic, milk,” Rody repeats to himself, pacing the aisles.
He’s in the dairy aisle when Pino pokes her head out of his pocket, feathers standing on end in distress. It hits him a moment later, that sixth sense he developed through the years on the streets, setting off alarms in his head.
Someone’s watching him.
Rody doesn’t react, but pulls something random from the shelf as he casually glances up at the security mirror hanging in the back of the mart.
There’s only one other person in the same aisle with him, and sure enough, he keeps glancing over at Rody. Suppressing a chill, Rody pretends to read the ingredients on a yogurt can as he forces his heart rate to slow. Rody spent years of his life dodging cops and learning the intricate details of going unseen. Of being a shadow. He casually looks back at the shelf and lets his eyes wander over to the stranger. The man checks every box on the list of things to do when you don’t want to be noticed or remembered. He’s dressed nicely in a neutral color button-up and slacks, but the clothes aren’t of high enough quality to signify wealth, and no flashy watches or jewelry to attract pickpockets. Age-wise, he can’t be older than 35. Sensible shoes with laces tied in a double knot, and what looks to be a plain flip phone attached to his belt. There’s a slight dip in the front chest pocket of his shirt, telling Rody he keeps his wallet there instead of in his pants’ pocket for easy access.
The only unique thing about this brown haired, plain man is the eye patch.
That, and the fact he’s now staring unabashedly at Rody.
Flipping through his mental rolodex of faces, Rody’s certain he’s never encountered this man on a job. And despite the Witness Protection Plan attire, he doesn’t seem like any of the guys Rody met through the black market.
In fact, he’s looking at Rody like he’s the one who’s seen a ghost.
Pino’s shaking with contained adrenaline in his pocket, but he wills her to stay hidden. If need be, he knows he can outrun this guy.
What if something happens to you?
Rody ignores the ringing in his ears. Instead, he calmly turns towards the man and feigns nonchalance.
“Can I help you with something, sir?”
“Oh my god. You even sound like him.”
That was definitely not the response he expected. Nor the soft yet miserable way the man was studying him.
“Excuse me?” Rody bites his tongue, the question coming out harsher than he’d wanted. He wants to finish shopping and return home so he can keep at least one promise to his siblings.
The man schools his expression at the sight of his unease. “I’m sorry, Rody, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Pino bursts out of his pocket, chirping up a storm. The hair on the back of Rody’s neck stands up. “How do you know my name?” He doesn’t try to keep the bite out of his tone now. What if this man was someone he met through Stan? What if Rody has been a squeaky cog in a larger job that failed, and now the boss has come to collect?
Putting up a hand in a placating gesture, the man takes a step back. “I’m sorry. I’m going about this the wrong way. It’s just…I wasn’t expecting to find you here.”
Rody is about to turn right around, but the next words freeze him to the ground.
“I’m Alan Kay. I knew your father.”
Rody nearly drops his grocery basket.
“Alan Kay,” he repeats. Rody desperately tries to pick the mental lock in his brain that recognizes the man’s name, but he’s not sure from where or why.
Alan nods before quickly scanning around them. Rody raises an eyebrow, noting the empty store aisle.
“I will explain more, but let’s mind our space,” Alan says cryptically. He gestures to the front of the store.
The two pay for their respective groceries, and Alan holds the door open for Rody, who warily exits with Pino fluttering over his shoulder.
They’re technically not allowed to be outside other than for errands, but the cop assigned to this block is preoccupied with an elderly woman chatting his ear off about the news to pay Rody and Alan any mind.
Rody feels his phone vibrate in his pocket, and he belatedly remembers he hasn’t done his third check-in with Captain today. But he doesn’t have time to worry about flying jets at this moment. He doesn’t waste any time. “How do you know my dad? And how did you find me?”
Alan is silent again as he scans Rody up and down, mouth in a firm line like he’s concentrating on a puzzle.
Pino flies up to his face and chirps incessantly, jolting Alan.
“I’m sorry for acting so mysterious. You look so much like Eddie.”
The chirps abruptly stop. Ignoring the sudden sting in his eyes, Rody repeats his question. “How did you know my dad?”
“I was captured by Humarise.”
Rody’s stomach plummets. “You were one of the scientists they abducted. To help carry out Flecturn’s plan.”
“Sadly,” Alan confirms. He stares up at the sky, and from this angle, Rody can make out a hint of scar tissue peaking from underneath the eye patch. “I arrived at their hideout nearly a year after your father was taken. I don’t think I would have survived that place without him.”
Yet you’re standing here and he isn’t. The intrusive thought is quickly followed by remorse. Alan’s not the reason his father isn’t here with him.
“How did you get out?”
“I escaped thanks to your dad. Flecturn found out Eddie created a key that would disarm the trigger bombs, and during the havoc, I was able to flee.”
Escaped. The single word is all it takes for the lock in Rody’s brain to click, and then the memories rush in. Alan Kay. The briefcase. The video recording that delivered the worst news of Rody’s life.
“You smuggled it out in a briefcase,” he said, dazed. “And you made a video explaining everything in case you didn’t make it out.”
Stunned, Alan steps closer to Rody. “How do you know all that?”
“Because I accidentally stole your briefcase.”
“No loitering!”
The command startles both of them and earns a squawk from Pino as the cop, now free from the old woman’s chatter, approaches Alan and Rody. “Rules are to get your essentials and return home immediately. Move along.”
Alan places a hand on Rody’s shoulder. “Apologies, officer. We’re heading back now.”
Picking up on the suggestion, Rody begins walking in the direction of his apartment with Alan in tow and his mind spiraling.
“How did you steal my briefcase?” Alan asks once they're a safe distance away.
Rody almost responds, but then snaps his mouth shut. Alan was a stranger. But he knew Rody’s dad and worked alongside him for years. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to confess his sordid past to someone whom his father obviously trusted. In a strange way, Rody felt that disappointing Alan would be tantamount to disappointing his own father.
“Rody.”
Alan stops walking, forcing Rody to halt alongside him. “I know we just met, but the way your dad talked about you and your siblings, I feel like I’ve known you for years.”
Air struggles to flow properly from Rody’s lungs. He chokes out the next question, “He talked about me?”
“All the time. He was so proud of you.”
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.
Breathing becomes a conscious effort. Rody experienced the depth of his parents’ love in the early years of his life. It's what made the grief so sharp, so he suppressed his memories to dull the pain. But the sincerity in Alan’s voice was twisting a knife in Rody’s heart.
“He was especially worried about you, Rody. He knew you’d step up and take care of your siblings without him. But Eddie knew our families would face consequences since people didn’t know they were threatening our loved ones and holding us hostage. He knew every moment we spent there would only make it worse for everyone else.”
“I’d never seen a man work so desperately. He’d work for days on end sometimes, refusing to sleep or stop to eat, in order to meet Flecturn’s demands and guarantee your kids’ safety.”
Anguish masks Alan’s face.
“But, he was still Eddie Soul. And he didn’t want millions of people to die at the hands of our invention.”
“So he made a way to disarm them,” Rody whispers, voice hoarse.
Alan nods. He reaches for his eye, the one under the eye patch, before aborting the movement. “He told me if he was going to be blamed for the success of Humarise, he also wanted to be the reason for their failure.”
The knife twists deeper, and Rody remembers how it feels to bleed out.
“After dad disappeared, I took whatever jobs I could get to take care of Roro and Lala. The best-paying ones weren’t the most honest. They didn’t care how young I was as long as I didn’t talk and moved fast.”
Alan’s expression bears no hint of judgment, maintaining a perfectly neutral mask.
Rody continues, swallowing down bile. “I was helping deliver stolen jewels from a robbery that day. They were being carried in a grey briefcase. But I got caught by a hero during the exchange who was chasing me down, and rubble from a collapsing bridge nearly killed me. I dropped the briefcase and ended up with yours instead.”
Running a hand through his hair, Alan sighs heavily. “I get it now. Beros, an assassin hired by Flecturn with an arrow Quirk, hunted me down after I fled. She hit my tires and caused my car to crash on the bridge over Central Otheon. I thought I lost the briefcase in the accident, but I understand now that the one she got away with was the one with the jewels.”
“An arrow Quirk?” Rody repeats. His hand moves unconsciously to his chest, rubbing the spot where a scar should have been if not for a certain hero.
Alan notices the movement. “You know her?”
“You could say that.”
The rain decides to start at this moment, as droplets being to paint the sidewalk. Alan takes an umbrella out of his grocery bag and holds it over both of them.
“You having the briefcase explains how you found my video,” Alan continues. “Which means you also found the key to disarming the bombs.”
“My dad hid it in one of the puzzles he taught Roro and me to solve as kids. The hero that chased me, Deku, and some other hero students helped take down Flecturn and his forces while I disarmed the bombs.”
Alan makes a surprised noise and grips the umbrella until his knuckles turn white. “You’re the one who disarmed them?“
Rody simply nods.
For a second, Alan looks at him in stunned silence, before covering his face with his free hand.
“Oh.” Dumbfounded, Rody watches Alan try to regain composure while Pino trills anxiously in the background.
“Thank you.”
Rody blinks. “‘Thank you?’ Why are you thanking me?”
Dropping his hand, Alan lets out a sigh heavy enough that he leans against the nearest building. “Thanks to you, I’m not a mass murderer. And neither are the other engineers Humarise forced to carry out their terrorism.”
Rody balks. “I…I never thought of it like that.”
“We did.” Alan quickly wipes his eye on the back of his hand. “Every day we weighed the devastation we’d be responsible for if Flecturn’s plan succeeded. But our family’s lives were also at stake. Either way, we were faced with a decision that stole our humanity.”
Instead of replying, Rody clasps a hand over the locket ever present around his neck. He knew how difficult that choice was.
“When I woke up in the hospital and heard someone had stopped the attack, I nearly passed out again in relief. And since it was an international case, terrorism on top of it, it was hard to find the details aside from the pro heroes involved in the case.”
Alan pushes himself off the wall and places a hand on Rody’s shoulder, grinning. “I vowed to myself that I’d find that person, whoever they were, so I could thank them in person. So, thank you, Rody. For saving us.”
Surviving a near-death experience and not being punished for his previous crimes had been more than enough of a reward from Rody’s perspective. If anything, he was mostly bitter and resentful that his dad’s sacrifice was swept aside during the flashy coverage Endeavor and the other heroes received for their part in the mission.
But now, receiving genuine appreciation from Alan, a coldness inside Rody begins to thaw.
“Thanks for the…thanks.” He rubs the back of his neck, which is starting to feel hot despite the rain. Pino cowers back into his pocket. “But I’m not as selfless as you think. Once I learned how serious our situation was, my plan was to hand over the suitcase so I could return home to Roro and Lala.”
“In fact, I did contact them behind his back and arranged a handoff. I was stupid enough to think they’d just take it and let me go. But they tried to kill me, and if it wasn’t for Deku, I wouldn’t be standing here.”
Alan tilts his head to the side. “And you think that makes you any less deserving of gratitude?”
“It’s not like I sought out to save the world on purpose. Everything just fell into my lap. All I cared about was my family’s safety.”
“Yet at some point, you decided to trust your friend and sacrifice your own safety in order to protect others.” Alan squeezes his shoulder. “Being a good person is more than heroes beating up villains. More often than not, good people are those who choose to help others even if they’re the ones who need it the most.”
Alan smiles at him. “You made an impossible decision to protect others, even if it meant losing something precious. Just like your father.”
The coldness that was thawing inside Rody before warms into something white hot, building pressure at the back of his eyes.
Alan presses on, like these are the most important words he’ll ever say. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t save him, Rody. You and your siblings were his pride and joy. Everyone who knew Eddie knew he lived for his family, and that’s what kept him going in that hellish place. He made me promise him that if I survived and he didn’t, that I’d find you and tell you how devastated he was every waking moment that he wasn’t with you. And that no matter what happened after he was taken, nothing would change how much he loved you.”
Tears streak down Rody’s cheeks uninterrupted as he does all he can to pull in oxygen, his shoulders shaking. For years, he’d tossed and turned over why his dad abandoned them. The moment Rody learned the truth about his dad’s disappearance and consequential death, all the anger and resentment morphed into a grief so profound that part of him thought he’d never be whole again.
Gently, Alan pulls him into a hug. The old Rody would have refused this comfort out of self-loathing, but he doesn’t hesitate to return the embrace.
“I understand if my presence is too much of a painful reminder,” Alan says softly. “But if you’re at all open to having me in your life, I would be honored. It’s the least I can do for the man who saved my life, and his son who saved my soul.”
The sobs wracking his body prevent Rody from responding, so he vigorously nods instead.
Alan pats his head. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
A few moments later, Rody is standing outside their apartment building and saves Alan’s number in his contacts. He’d quickly filled Alan in on the kids’ lives and that they did have legal guardians now. There was much more to talk about, and stories Rody hoped Alan would tell him someday. But they were pushing curfew, especially Alan, whose home was in the opposite direction.
“Once things calm down and I can explain it to the kids, we’d love to have you over for dinner,” Rody says. His eyes might be swollen, and he feels the pressure of an impeding migraine, but his spirit feels light for the first time in days.
“I would like that very much,” Alan says. “Please, if you need anything at all, call me.”
“I promise.”
Alan grabs him again for a quick hug before setting back off down the street, umbrella bobbing with his steps.
Pino, too tired to fly up to his shoulder, simply nestles further into Rody’s pocket while singing a soft tune.
“A nap does sound wonderful right about now,” Rody agrees. Fumbling with his keys and the grocery bag, he manages to unlock the main door to their building before he remembers he missed Captain’s call.
Rody groans.
“Shit! There goes jet privileges.”
His screen reads one unread voicemail. Pressing the phone to his ear, he mentally prepares himself for the lecture of a lifetime.
And for the second time that day, his world tilts on its axis.
“Rody, it’s Izuku. I’m awake now.”
Notes:
*dun dun*
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hiwifsc on Chapter 1 Tue 10 Jun 2025 01:45PM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 1 Wed 11 Jun 2025 12:04AM UTC
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hiwifsc on Chapter 1 Wed 11 Jun 2025 11:26AM UTC
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IObsessOverCartoons on Chapter 1 Wed 18 Jun 2025 12:50PM UTC
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NeoTheOtaku on Chapter 1 Sat 21 Jun 2025 02:11PM UTC
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wildraccoondog on Chapter 2 Tue 10 Jun 2025 02:03AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 11 Jun 2025 12:12AM UTC
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DominusMortis on Chapter 2 Wed 11 Jun 2025 01:41AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:19AM UTC
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billifer on Chapter 2 Fri 13 Jun 2025 02:37PM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:23AM UTC
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Honeymon14 on Chapter 2 Tue 17 Jun 2025 07:41AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:24AM UTC
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Just_shut_up on Chapter 2 Sat 21 Jun 2025 05:37AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:24AM UTC
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LilacCookie on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 03:17AM UTC
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Frullama on Chapter 2 Tue 24 Jun 2025 09:47AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:27AM UTC
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TheRiddikulouslyRandomGirl1234 on Chapter 2 Tue 05 Aug 2025 10:59PM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:29AM UTC
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Radia_Alstroemeria on Chapter 2 Wed 06 Aug 2025 07:29PM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:29AM UTC
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Sagy20022 on Chapter 2 Tue 26 Aug 2025 05:18AM UTC
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yuujishoodie on Chapter 2 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:31AM UTC
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Blue_pale on Chapter 3 Wed 10 Sep 2025 12:40PM UTC
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Frullama on Chapter 3 Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:36PM UTC
Last Edited Wed 10 Sep 2025 06:37PM UTC
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