SSD IV: Shinsou

115. The Fight For Our Kids

I have two things to cover in this here's author's note. I shall start with the fun stuff.

Number One:
The wonderful and incredible and brilliant Maike on AO3 has BLESSED US WITH MEMESSSSSSS. Honestly I've been screaming about these to anyone who will listen because MEMES. SOMEONE MADE MEMES OF MY BOOK AND SQUEALLLLLLL!
So, to anyone not on discord, here, I hope, are the links to said memes so everyone can enjoy them (and cackle at them because they're so funny I almost cried).

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/959371133134700574/963889758914895882/6chcug.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/959371133134700574/963887538857185361/6chbem.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/959371133134700574/963886498317467658/6chaqs.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/959371133134700574/963883960138596372/6ch8bt.jpg
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/959371133134700574/963883959849205790/6ch7ob.jpg

Number Two:
⚠️ WARNINGS ⚠️ : reference to past child abuse.
The part that needs the warning is the very first section so I will put a marker and section summary at the end of that part.

If anyone would like me to do a full chapter summary, just comment here or message me privately. You don't have to explain yourself just say 'SSD 115 full chap summary' and your wish is my command.

Please everyone take care of yourselves because it would kill me if my writing hurt anyone and you deserve to be kind to yourself (YES YOU DO! No arguing!).

Now, without further ado, enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 115. The Fight For Our Kids

Aizawa Shouta hated red tape. Understandable, really. It made life harder for him when he was trying to save lives, it got in the way of his job.

Last year he'd completed a home visit for one Shinsou Hitoshi. Having trained Hitoshi for several months, Aizawa had noted several signs that led to concerns over the boy's home life, and he had the necessary training and authority to do something about it (a lot of heroes took the course to give them that authority after they graduated, at least the ones who weren't in it for fame or money) so he did. He'd gone to the home, and been forced to delay when Hitoshi's parents had asked for time to read their rights since he wasn't legally allowed to enter without consent. It was frustrating, but he'd been required to give them that time.

Walking through the home two days later, Aizawa suspected a lot had been cleared up very quickly; the nauseating smell of a lemon air-freshener wasn't strong enough to hide the cigarette scent but it covered everything else. Aizawa had no way to prove his student was in danger and, with only his own suspicions as evidence, he had to let it lie. The home appeared perfectly safe.

Today, they couldn't delay with a rights reading because they knew their rights. Today, he had evidence beyond a few suspicions. Today, Hitoshi was safe at UA with Silver, and Aizawa was going to make sure he stayed that way.

The expression on the faces of the Machii couple— Hitoshi's adoptive parents— was priceless. They knew they'd been caught the same as Aizawa knew they'd been caught, and there was nothing they could do about it. It took five minutes. He stepped in, he saw a living room that suggested happy and healthy, except for a few drops of blood by the entrance to the kitchen.

"Someone have an accident?" The blood was dried, old, and something tickling the back of his mind knew it was Hitoshi's. He didn't know why. It wasn't like he could somehow smell whose blood it was. And yet, he was certain.

"You know teenage boys," Machii Azami spoke, a placating smile on her face. "Seventeen and he's still growing, doesn't know where his feet are. He tripped and broke a bowl, fell on it, he was bleeding everywhere." She chuckled, warm and lighthearted. "Very dramatic."