Sorry.

Chapter 27

Third person pov

Isao and the other children passed out strewn across the living room, snuggled tightly in warm blankets. Takashi knew it was no permanent solution, but it was still nice to see them all safe and warm. The other students seemed to think so as well, murmuring to themselves pridefully as they helped gather empty plates and pudding cups. There wasn't a bite of food left on anyone's dish, which was as endearing as it was saddening. Takashi and Touya could both understand. When they'd first found each other, they weren't exactly rolling in dough. They still really weren't, excusing any savings. Still, they didn't feel the need to eat even the things they didn't like to survive.

"What're we going to do?" Touya asked quietly. They'd retreated upstairs to wake up early, and hopefully before the small army of children they'd brought to the dorm. They weren't idiots. The kids couldn't stay forever. How were they possibly going to place them all in such a short amount of time? Nezu could probably come up with a million solutions if they asked, but most would surely involve foster care. That wasn't a route they wanted to go. Especially not with the kids who really were quirkless. They'd get eaten alive in the foster system, or booted back and stuck in the exact place they'd been left last time.

"I don't know. We're still stuck here, so it's not as though we can care for them properly." Takashi mumbled irritably. He was put out that he couldn't adopt an entire orphanage full of children, clearly. "Maybe I'll text Fuyumi tomorrow. She's a teacher as well, so she may have access to some resources. Some of my old coworkers may have ideas as well..."

"Yeah, alright." Touya agreed tiredly. It had been a long day, and being snuggled up to Takashi like this always made him drowsy. He took a deep breath, holding his soulmate close. Takashi muttered a sleepy goodnight, but Touya could only mumble as he drifted off. If they thought today was lengthy, they both knew tomorrow would be even more so. Neither were sure whether or not that would be a good thing.

It felt like things were reaching their peak. Like all the loose ends were coming together and tying off splendidly. Sure, they weren't sure what was up with Endeavor at the moment, but he hadn't come to try and harass them any further. It was surprising to say the least. Surely he wasn't going to just lie down and let them snatch Shoto, right? He probably had some sort of plan. There was no way he was just accepting it, even if that would be ideal. With Rei as Tsukauchi's soulmate, the case under his care was all but void. No one else was brave enough to pick it up. Takashi wasn't sure he'd trust anyone other than Tsukauchi to, anway.

The kids downstairs all slept like the dead, not stirring even when Iida for up early to go on his run. Even the faint sparking of Bakugo's quirk coming from the kitchen wasn't enough to rouse them. The explosive blonde turned in early and got up even earlier. How he did it, most of 1-A wasn't sure. Bakugo didn't even bother trying to be quiet as he stomped out of the kitchen and past the lounge area. At least Iida had attempted to make him steps silent. Bakugo however...

Well, Bakugo stopped. His chest squeezed uncomfortably, tugging and pulling in a way it never had before. He scowled, eyes scanning over the motionless lumps under blankets. A tingle shot down his spine, dancing happily along his ribs as though there was something to celebrate. He licked his dry lips, sniffing. His eyes came to rest on the tense— yet still sleeping form of— Isao, one of the kids who's been brought in. He had three small children piled on his lap, and had fallen asleep sitting up with his arms crossed over his chest and a grimace painted on his face.

Katsuki's heart did a flip, and his eyes went wide.

Oh. Oh, no.

Heat shot from the tips of his toes to the very top of his head. His heart took off, erratic and excited in its beating. He took a step back, feeling his jaw drop in a way it never had before. No one was awake to see him, but he looked like a kid who'd just gotten caught red handed raiding the cookie jar without their parent's permission. Never had he felt so stunned as his mind chanted the same soulmate, soulmate, soulmate! to him. He stared, taking a moment to process. The implications of what was happening sunk in, and he took a deep breath.