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Chapter 25

Despite leaving early and arriving at U.A much earlier than was actually expected, the YamaZawa household were still met with hundreds of potential students who no doubt had the same idea of arriving early. Izuku realized his pops hadn't been joking when he said there would be thousands of applicants today. They hadn't even left the car yet and he felt how oppressive the air was. He was certainly glad faculty had their own parking structure underground, no doubt there for situations just like this, or possibly for over zealous press. It didn't help much with the anxiety though as for the first time in a long while, Izuku felt how his immense nervousness took him over making him slip into a cat shift out of instinct.

Adding to his anxiety was the prospect of repeating yesterday's most embarrassing aspect. If he was able to develop a trio of crushes with only a handful of people, what was going to happen when he was exposed to exponentially more potential partners?! It was a prospect Izuku would rather not think about if he could help it. Certainly not before he manages to gather enough courage to ask Kaminari for a date.

Neither of his parents had noticed when he had shifted as they were making sure none of the kids had snuck in the secure gate as they drove in. It wasn't until the gate rattled closed behind them that his dad turned around in his seat to talk to Izuku. He was of course met with a somewhat embarrassed meow.

He extended his arm behind him, Izuku clambered on and up to rest on his neck and between the folds of his scarf. "Are you going to be okay today kitten?" he asked, scratching under Izuku's chin. This earned him a content purr as Izuku nudged his head further into the scratch. He knew he should probably be embarrassed to be acting like a kitten still but human rules mostly still feel stupid to him. Who says no to a good scratch?!

"I'll take that as a yes, shall i?"

Mew

Pops just chuckled at the interaction, reaching over and rustling the top of his head before properly parking in his reserved space. "Here we are then. It's going to be entirely different from yesterday Zuzu."

Mew

"You're welcome to stay with either your dad or me, but we are going to be busy most of the day." He paused putting on his lanyard with his ID "Or you could go visit with Nezu after he gives his welcome speech. At some point all three of us, plus a few other teachers will be watching the practical exam take place."

Both his dads waited for him to make a choice but all Izuku did was settle himself more comfortably in his dad's scarf and purr louder. They laughed together at that.

"Well I guess there we have it then."

"That we do, If even staying here with me gets too much feel free to trot off to Nezu's office or the lounge, just don't leave campus please." His dad added the last bit not wanting to go on another scavenger hunt of his own son, only to realize he was napping in the tree right outside the gate of U.A.

Izuku felt immensely safe and warm in the scarf so he mewed in agreement before giving himself over to a beckoning nap. His natural instinct to sleep in the day taking over.

"What I wouldn't give to be able to fall asleep that easily..." Shota lamented to his husband.

"You'd have to give up coffee for that Sho"

"Blasphemy!"

Zashi just chuckled. "Come on, Nezu is probably already waiting."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at the entrance gate to U.A everyone waiting turned around at the sound of an explosion, only to find quite an odd spectacle. An angry blonde boy resembling an irritated pomeranian, smoking hands clearly threatening a much smaller boy. Said boy almost resembled a lost elementary school boy, purple shiny orbs for hair. Behind them a mousy brown haired girl looking extremely red and embarrassed, trying desperately to extend the length of her skirt somehow. The small one squealed like a mouse and ran off into the crowd amidst swears and threats being hurled in his direction.

The girl proceeded to apparently thank the irate boy before making her way to the gate too, joining a group of girls. The pomeranian looked just as irate as earlier but seemed to calm down visibly as a boy with the brightest red hair around, clambered an arm around his neck. That was until a plain looking boy with strange elbows did the same and another explosion filled the air.

Half an hour afterwards the gates opened and a mass of hopeful future heroes and students streamed into U.A like a dam that had its capacity outpaced.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hizashi watched as the auditorium nearly filled itself to its maximum capacity of ten thousand. Naturally he knows students come to U.A from all over the country, some even from other countries. Even that knowledge never did temper down his surprise at seeing so many hopeful applicants though. He gave a quick glance over to his husband and their hidden son. Shota was, as always, on exam day wearing his stoic expressionless face. If he didn't know about how much of an actual softie he is, it would be easy to assume just by his lack of an expression that this man utterly hates children.

He of course knows it's the complete and utter opposite. He didn't expel his entire class last year because of something petty like annoyance as the rest of the faculty might assume. No he saw far too much of their dead friend in them. Reckless disregard for rules and an over reliance on quirk use...

Now however wasn't the time to reminisce or get stuck in what if scenarios. He had an enormous amount of little listeners to attend to, well right after Nezu welcomes them that is.

Honestly he wished that just for once things would be mixed up a bit. Sure it must be all new and exciting for the kiddos but every year since he and Shota have been working at U.A it's been the same. Students arrive, all of them write the general education probing exam; students get separated into departments– hero, business and support for further testing.

Sure it made sense that both he and Shota would be part of the hero department exam but, just once Hizashi wishes he'd get a year off and change pace. Maybe go see the support kiddos blow stuff up for once. It certainly didn't help that Shota grumbles about the unfair state of the hero exam. Not that he disagrees but he knows better than to try and nudge Nezu on a moot point.

All they would ever get is that the HSPC won't allow any other type of exam for hero applicants. Plus he's already pushed his luck by forcing them to allow quirkless students to apply to U.A, a rule still enforced over every other school or institute across the country.

Hizashi had luckily returned from his introspection just in time for Nezu to have finished welcoming the ever increasing number of students. They were sorted alphabetically into five different exam halls able to contain just over two thousand students. Both he and Shota were assigned to Exam Hall A so once the rush of initial students scrambling to exit calmed down they made their way over.

"How's Zuzu sho?" Hizashi asked as they left.

"Purring away, i swear the world could end and he'd be oblivious to it if he was in this scarf" Shota chuckled

"Think it has more to do with the scarf's owner than the scarf itself Sho..." this caused his husband to blush slightly

"Oh, is young Izuku with you boys today too?" Came Nezu's voice behind them.

"Yes, sir. Though he panicked a bit this morning with all of the students around."

Concern crossed the chimera's features "I take it he's resting comfortably then now?"

"Yes, but I know that tone, what's wrong?" Shota frowned

That familiar overeager and far too convincing smile returned to Nezu's face like that how it has always been. "Nothing. Nothing. Just a piece of information I feel the need to share with you both. You are after all the boy's parents now."

"Oh?" Hizashi said opening the door for all of them

Nezu walked out first but turned to face them before he left fully "Yes. Do come by for tea after the exams if you would boys."

Both of Izuku's parents shared a curious glance but nodded in agreement. Nezu only smiled and was off, no doubt going on ahead to do final checks on his beloved mechs the hero students would soon be facing.