After the Dust Settles

Hitoshi is startled awake by a call. He cusses his phone out as he rises from his bed, tripping over a cat as he walks over to his desk where he picks up the phone.

"Zuku?" He rasps. "What time is it?"

"It's 3 pm," Izuku informs from the other side. "Sorry to interrupt your sleep, but I need you to get to Musutafu as soon as possible."

Hitoshi couldn't be more awake if there had been an ice-cold bucket dumped on him.

"How long?"

"Not sure," Izuku says. "Anywhere from a day to 3 weeks. I'm preparing a room for you just in case."

"I'm on my way."

Three hours later, it's 6 p.m. and Hitoshi is ringing the doorbell in front of Izuku's house. Public transport isn't always the fastest, especially not when it's from Hosu. A kid, probably no older than 15, opened the door for him, staring at him for a moment before asking his name.

"Hitoshi Shinso," He answers.

Before the kid can repeat, Izuku materializes behind the teen. "Hey, 'Toshi!" He greets, guiding the kid away from the door to allow Hitoshi to come in.

"Mitsuko!" Izuku calls as he helps Hitoshi bring the suitcase in. "Come get your uncle's stuff for him!"

"It's fine," Hitoshi reassures. "It's just one after all."

Izuku shakes his head. "I was just on my way out, unless you're tired I suggest you come with me."

Hitoshi nods, following Izuku into the kitchen where he's handed a pre-packaged meal and a bottle of orange juice before being dragged back to the door.

"I'm going out," Izuku yells. "Your Dad should get here in fifteen minutes!"

Various sounds of understanding could be heard though only Mitsuko was actually there to hug his father goodbye.

They enter Izuku's car and Hitoshi sighs in slight relief. "Are you gonna tell me where we're going now? Or tell me anything about why you called me all the way here?"

"Shit— sorry!" Izuku apologizes. "It's Sensei, he's in the hospital."

"What?!"

"Jeez—" Izuku winced. "He's fine... mostly... kinda? He's alive and well just not so well."

"What happened? I thought he retired?" Hitoshi asked.

"I thought so too," Izuku admits. "He never did, just reduced his hours to the point where no one would notice he was still working."

"Did Hizashi know?"

Izuku nods. "He saw no harm in it. Besides, you know how Sensei gets when he isn't burning through enough adrenaline."

Hitoshi sighs. "I feel like that's your backhanded way of telling me off."

"Maybe," Izuku laughed.

"And when will you quit calling him that? He hasn't been our teacher in 16 years."

"Never," Izuku informs. "As I was saying, he's injured. And you would never believe how."

"It wasn't a villain?" He asks, surprised.

"Nope," Izuku chuckles. "You know how he was always making us jump those crazy gaps from miles above ground whenever we went on patrol with him?"

Hitoshi nods. "Yep, Denks and I almost fell off a building and he just stood there staring at us."

"Well, he fell off a five-story building and onto one of his knives." Izuku finally gets to the point. "Broke a couple of ribs, cracked his skull, and shattered an arm."