Not Much, Really.

Shouta grumbled roughly as he stumbled in through the door. His patrol had been hell, all rainy streets and slippery disorienting battles that left things more complicated than they ever needed to be. He was exhausted, and just so, so done.

With no large amount of care, he shucked off his boots, not bothering to try and line them up on the mat with his partners. He felt a small twinge of guilt afterwards, knowing he had promised to be back before midnight at the latest, and yet here he was returning home as the sun was starting to rise. Shouta didn’t like whenever his sworn word got overridden, but they had been short on heroes in the area and a brawl broke out. What else was he supposed to have done?

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a soft whine and the tapping of claws coming from down the hall, the tell tale sound of excited panting following. With a small chuckle he limped his way down the hall, finding exactly the same sight he’s found every night since he moved in here.

What was waiting for him never failed to make him smile, the big shaggy black dog that always seemed to be over the moon to see him, was just that. His partner’s dog, Odysseus, was there; his tail wagging furiously, mouth hung open and tongue lolling out in the worlds biggest grin that rivaled even All Might himself.

The canine pawed excitedly at the babygate keeping him from running out to trample the hero, more little whines slipped out in the process, causing more than a little ruckus in the quiet of the early morning.

“Oddy, I’ll be there in a moment. Patience, remember?” Another small chuckle slipped out as he leaned against the gate, patting the dog’s head as the furry creature wriggled and jumped.

“Alright, alright…you know the drill, pup. I can’t cross over till you back up.” Shouta gave Odysseus a pointed look, one he particularly used when he wanted the dog to follow a command. Obediently Odysseus backed up and sat, his swiffer tail still hitting everything in its path.

“Better…good boy..” With a heavy sigh, Shouta braced himself for the inevitable discomfort of making it to the other side. Sure, he could just open the gate and go through, but then Odysseus was bound to excitedly try to love him and wind up over in the kitchen where he wasn’t supposed to be. The hero really did not want the dog to cause more painfully loud sounds to fill the silence and possibly disturb the blonde that was no doubt asleep in the other room.

With a grunt he leaned more heavily against the gate and hitched his leg over it, wincing at the sharp sting of pain that pulled from the remnants of his knee up to his spine. “Fuck…” Shouta’s grip went painfully tight on the plastic of the gate for a moment before he took a deep breath and steadied himself. This would only take a moment, one very, very painful moment. But it was worth it, to not disturb the scene in the other room that he felt he had no right to see but longed to keep filled with peace. Or that’s what he told himself at least.

Thankfully the firm plastic of the barrier held steady, being made of withstanding materials much like many of the items scattered around their shared space. Since his lover had the money to afford them and Shouta had an eye for quality and practicality, they made sure they only had to buy things once.

The whine that slipped his lips when he lifted his leg up nearly made him want to turn as red as the streetlights outside, but he was alone, this was his home, and he reminded himself he had no reason to be embarrassed. This was the uncomfortable part though. His leg was over, an unhelpful pressure and nearly stinging tension built up around the socket of his hip, now he had to get the rest of him on the other side.

“Oddy…move, please…just for a moment…” With a pitiful little huff, the dog complied and sat back down instead of trying to nose his snout under Shouta’s hand.

With a nearly excruciating pop of his hip, a release of the pressure, and a clank of his prosthetic, he made it over. His body still stung in places he wished it didn’t, but the worst of it was over.

“Alright, c’mere you little beast…” Odysseus was more than happy to comply, waiting patiently as Shouta knelt and opened his arms. But the minute the usual welcoming hug was offered, he all but knocked the hero over. The canine seemed to never understand his size, that he wasn’t some tiny purse pup but instead up to Shouta’s navel even with his ears pinned.

He laughs and ruffles the dog’s fur until the little gremlin has had his fill, finally able to stand, cracking his back in the process. After checking the time he decides that he should probably feed the pup before heading off to bed, wanting to at least take care of the little parts of his partner’s responsibilities since he was bound to be in at least a little trouble for not coming back all night.

Thankfully the task didn’t take too long, and Odysseus had politely obeyed his command of patience so he could do it uninterrupted. And so, with a soft pat to the dog’s rear, he was finally able to make his way to the bedroom.

He let the tips of his fingers glide along the ridges of the walls as he went, humming an idle tune that filled the quiet hall. He could feel the dust collecting on them, normally he would have frowned at it, but not this time. He wasn’t going to be cleaning his old spartan shoebox of an apartment alone. No, he and Anthony have a cleaning day scheduled not too far off. That doesn’t sound pleasant to most people, but to him it was the small amount of intimate bliss that he craved. Where he and Anthony would clean their home. Together.

It wouldn’t be a painstaking chore like his old place had been. Wouldn’t be something he did while just going through the motions of life after too much grime built up and Hizashi would question Shouta on if the tired hero should move back in with him.

No, cleaning their home together was something Shouta had come to love to do. It meant he could spend time with Anthony, see the way the blonde would get distracted by photos or mementoes on the walls and shelves. The way the softest of pinks would creep into the younger man’s pale skin, the world's sweetest smile being partially hidden by purple-tinged fingertips skimming over the lips he loved to kiss, the warm honey tone Anthony’s eyes would take as he lost himself in whatever blissful memory.

That’s what made cleaning day worth it.

Shouta was pulled almost violently from his thoughts when too deep a breath sent a jolt of pain through his lungs and right into his throat, making him realize he had been standing outside the bedroom door for far too long.

The tired hero takes a steadying breath before opening the door, deftly stepping around floorboards he knows will creak, carefully removing the coils of his capture weapon from his shoulders in the process.

The sight that greeted him made that oh-so familiar feeling of warm creep through his bruised ribcage and wrap snugly around his heart. Laying in their bed, wrapped in blankets and bathed in sunlight spilling in from the open curtains, was Anthony. The pale pretty boy was lying mostly on Shouta’s side of the bed, hugging the hero’s pillow with his knees drawn almost up to his chest. From what isn’t covered by the blankets, Shouta can see that the blonde is wearing the same dark blue Henley that the tired man constantly scolds him for stealing. The faded fabric was loose on the other’s skin from where Anthony lacked the bulk Shouta had to fill it out.

Further down he can see that Anthony had stolen a pair of his boxers as well, and once again guilt tugged at the edges of his mind, knowing the thievery was likely a result of trying to self-soothe worry over Shouta being out late. He would make it up to him, he knew he would, but it didn’t make him feel any better about how many times they’ve gone through the same song and dance about it.

Stepping closer, Shouta winced at the uncomfortable pinch of his prosthetic, his knee just above it once again wanting to give up on him. He needed a shower, badly, but that doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy the view for a moment longer, does it?

With a soft hum he moves to perch on the edge of the mattress, stretching his legs out in front of him on the floor as he does so. After he’s comfortable he turns back to the precious scene he’d walked in on, carefully bringing a hand to brush away soft platinum locks from Anthony’s face, observing how the rest of the sleeping man’s hair is fanned out and coiled in small tendrils that almost remind Shouta of a halo.

Unable to help himself, he let his hand slide down. Anthony’s skin was warm, almost feverish if you thought too hard about it, a byproduct of the quirk that shined so brightly when the younger man was awake. His hand lingered on Anthony’s neck for a moment, feeling the steady thump of the blonde’s pulse against his palm. It was reassuring to feel, to know that the heart defect that plagued someone who shined so brightly was finally giving him a moment of peace.

Sliding further still, his hand brushed over the bumpy scars of Anthony’s shoulder, the chunks of missing flesh that had healed over time, even further and his palm pressed directly above the other’s heart. The significance of the surgical scars littering the man’s fair skin was not lost on him, and Shouta made sure that Anthony knew just how proud he was of how much he’d fought to be alive. To not just live but to thrive.

Further down his hand goes, gliding along the bumpy fabric until it reaches where the Henley had hiked up just enough to expose a strip of Anthony’s navel. It wasn’t until he started gently massaging the area with his thumb that Anthony began to stir, the golden boy groaning softly and stretching like he always does.

“mnh….Shou..?” Anthony didn’t bother opening his eyes just yet, pushing into the hand on his stomach before relaxing back into the bed and pushing a hand through his hair.

Shouta could only give a soft hum as he watched a lazy smile spread over the blonde’s lips, looking like heaven and absolutely devourable all at once. “Yeah., it’s me….did I keep you waiting, little cloud..?”

Anthony makes a slightly dismissive sound, leaning into Shouta’s palm when he feels the callus of it against his cheek. Only then did he let his eyes flutter open, closing his own hand around the hero’s wrist and turning his head just a fraction to press a soft kiss into that rough palm.

“...Anything lasting..?” Anthony knew he was avoiding the question, avoiding telling Shouta that, yes, he had in fact stayed up all night waiting for him, but any injuries Shouta might have is more important.

“Nothing that won’t be gone without a trace soon enough. No need to get up just yet, Sunflower…” Maybe they both had a little to work on…The whole ‘Telling the truth and not leaving out the parts that will make the other worry’ thing is not going to withstand in the long run. But that was another day’s problem, for now Shouta wanted to enjoy his morning.

Anthony gave him a soft, almost disbelieving groan, one that Shouta knew meant that the blonde would be checking him over thoroughly in a few hours. Thankfully Anthony still seemed caught in the golden sleepy haze of the morning and wasn’t ready to be mad at the stubborn man just yet.

Almost half-convinced that Anthony had drifted back to sleep in his palm, Shouta leaned down to press a soft kiss to his hair. And then between his eyes, the arch of each cheekbone, the tip of his nose, and finally a slow almost lingering kiss to his lips.

The action roused a smile out of the blonde, who had already returned the kiss without a thought before Shouta could pull away. “...Flatterer… I know you’re trying to get yourself out of trouble…” Anthony may have grumbled at him but made no move to push the hero away.

Aizawa on the other hand, laughed lowly and nuzzled into the blonde locks of the other’s hair, his stubble catching on the pale strands. “Well, is it working..?”

“....Unfortunately yes.”

“Good.”

“You’re the worst…..”

“You know you love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Mm…well as much as I would love to come smother you to our hearts content, I need to shower before I ruin our sheets or wind up with a nasty infection…” With no small amount of effort Shouta managed to pull himself away, but not before pressing another firm kiss to the golden boy’s hair.

“Be careful…and if you need help but don’t ask for it then I’m gonna kick your behind…”

“You could just say ass, Sunflower…”

“Shuttup..go shower before you start to smell like Oddy after a swim..”

Shouta could only give a startled laugh at Anthony’s avoidance of cursing, finding it utterly endearing. Doesn’t matter though, he knows exactly what he could do to get the blonde swearing more than he does on a monday, and oh-so prettily. But those thoughts were for another time, or perhaps in a bit when he can comfortably rest on their shower bench and indulge. Right now he needed to get cleaned up.

Shouta pushed himself up from the bed with a nearly pained grunt, his leg once again reminding him how much he needs to get off of it, the pressure in his hip returning with a vengeance.

“..Sparrow….”

“It’s fine. You know it’s fine. And if it isn’t, then it will be soon enough.” Aizawa had quickly cut Anthony off from any form trying to fret, almost roughly with the exhaustion in his tone, but he didn’t mean it to hurt, not really.

Anthony doesn’t say anything more on it, simply sitting up in bed and watching Shouta go.

Well that was just nice…he pulled himself out of his guilt only to plunge himself right back in even further than before. He knew Anthony would understand why he was so biting but that didn’t make the hero feel any better about it. Shouta would make it up to him…he had to.

For now though, he’d get cleaned, patch himself up, and try to give his lover a little bit of an apology before he crashed from the ever present pull of sleep.

He shut himself in the bathroom, avoiding his reflection in the mirror, not wanting to see whatever mess he’d become. Although the thought of his appearance made him mildly smile, knowing Anthony still gave him that ridiculously sloppy grin and sung his praises no matter how banged up he got.

When had he forgotten how good it felt to be loved?

Why did it take Hizashi’s breakdown and Anthony’s interference for him to remember?

Shouta hadn’t even realized he was moving on autopilot until the shower water startled him back into focus. He needed to get out of his head.

With a sigh he sat himself down on the toilet seat, fighting with the zipper to his tattered jumpsuit.

It would be fine. Things were fine. Best case scenario he was overthinking it and trying to rationalize any possible outcome that could blossom from him royally fucking up everything in his life.

He’d done it more than once before, and everyone around him had picked up the pieces and held him together until he could do it on his own again. And suddenly Shouta is worried he may have pulled Anthony into the same brutal cycle he had to Hizashi.

The hero frowned and forcefully tugged a hand through his knotted hair, cursing at all the mud and grime that came away with it. “Damn it..” Shouta bit into the side of his cheek forcefully and was about to try and tug more knots free, to untangle it he told himself, certainly not to feel the almost calming sting, but was stopped by the sound of a voice in the other room.

Anthony had apparently been pounced on by Odysseus and was lovingly baby talking the beast, even after all the times that Shouta joked at him to stop. And maybe that was okay. Maybe things weren’t as bad as his depraved mind was making them out to be. Anthony sounded happy, talking to the dog about anything and everything in the world.

He felt a little sick to his stomach at how much his heart ached with longing. Mild jealousy at how easily the damn dog could brighten his lover’s mood when Shouta had pushed it into the gutter.

“Let’s go get our Sparrow a pick me up, ‘kay fuzzball?” Anthony’s voice barely filtered in through the door, the hero could only assume it was because the blonde had stood and gotten closer.

He needed out of his head. Now. Before he worried himself to death and ruined anything good he has.

Shouta forced himself to persevere through the aches in his body to wriggle out of his jumpsuit and carefully dislodge his prosthetic. It took even more fighting to get himself over to the shower but the water was nice and heated by the time he settled himself on the shower bench under the spray so it wasn’t so bad.

It was soothing to finally melt under the rush of mist and heat of the water hitting his skin, even further so when he could unhook the showerhead from the wall to get the relief running down his neck and back as well. It was mind melting and finally he could relax.

~~~~~~~~~~

After who knows how long of scrubbing and stitching and bandaging, Shouta was finally all bandaged up and clean after his shower.

He returned to the bedroom to find Anthony not there, but Odysseus is sprawled out on their bed panting and happy as can be, even a few leaves sticking in his fur. Anthony must have taken him for a walk while Shouta was cleaning up.

The smell of food grabs his attention though, a plate, bowl, and mug sit on his nightstand along with a spoon, his favorite honey, and a set of chopsticks. Upon further inspection it was the dinner Anthony had made the night before, all heated up and set there for him to enjoy, making his mouth water in the process of trying to tie his hair up.

He could smell the tea from the mug, his blend of Hibiscus and butterfly pea tea that Anthony always insists on ordering ever since Shouta had expressed an interest in trying different teas for after his patrol to help him sleep and settled on liking this one the most.

This is why Anthony was his sunflower, in his opinion.

He sat down on the edge of the bed with the bowl and went to take a bite, relaxing when he realized why he couldn’t see Anthony before. The man was still in the room, he’d just been in their closet, evidently putting aside comfortable sleeping clothes for Shouta and finding suitable day clothes for himself. He did have a job to get to after all.

“...Sunflower…”

Anthony perks up at the sound of being called by his partner, his blonde hair falling into his eyes as he tries to fumble for anything to hold on to after being startled, his heart beating painfully for a moment before calming.

“Yes, love?”

“...Thank you…”

“Oh, Shou-” Shouta quickly cut Anthony off before he could finish though, holding up a hand for the golden boy to let him speak his piece.

“..For everything…not just breakfast…”

“....oh….always, Shouta.” The blonde gave him a firm nod, a slightly sad smile, and went back to getting dressed, tugging off Shouta’s Henley to leave his back bare and facing the hero.

They co-existed in a comfortable silence after that, until Shouta finished his food and limped his way over to a now almost-dressed Anthony who was currently fumbling with the buttons of a nice lilac button down. The rest of the blonde was just as stunning in the hero’s opinion, tailored black slacks, compression socks underneath, the brace he knew would be on Anthony’s weakened shoulder, the cinch of his belt. He loved it all.

So, carefully, he wrapped his arms around the younger man’s waist, thumbs sliding over the silky fabric on the other’s stomach.

“You’re trembling….”

“That’s not any different than usual and you know it.”

“Yes, but this has buttons…” Without another word, Aizawa was already pushing Anthony’s hands out of the way to replace with his own.

“And last time you helped with a shirt that had buttons it ended with the shirt in shreds and me severely late for work.”

“You complainin’?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Good.” Aizawa smiled a little at how quickly his lover had answered, his sunflower was always eager it seemed.

After a moment longer the shirt was buttoned and his attention turned to tying up the ribbons that closed the top and made a pretty choker for the blonde, ending with a slightly obnoxious bow at the back of his neck, framed with Anthony’s hair pulled up and held in place with metal pins that had intricate designs.

When it was done, he pressed a kiss to the exposed skin of the blonde’s collar bone, and then another a little further down where he could see the tip of a scar peeking out. “Beautiful…”

Anthony, unable to help himself, lets a hand drift to shouta’s jaw, purple fingertips smoothing over the rough stubble there before tilting the man's chin upwards. “You say that every time.”

“And I mean it. Every time.”

Anthony wanted to call him a sap, or a hypocrite, but all he could manage was a flustered little groan, and dropping his head onto the hero’s shoulder. “...you’re impossible…”

“And yet you crawl back for more…sometimes literally-” Shouta laughed when Anthony pressed a hand to his face to shut him up, only making him want to hug the other tighter, so he did.

Sure they had things to do, places to be, but for now they could just bask in this peace.

ITS SO GOOD, AND INSPIRED MEEEE, I now have a variation of Anthony who's more chronically ill than before, isn't just a support gear engineer but rather he designs planes

HE WANTS TO FLY IN ONE BUT HIS CONDITION PREVENTS HIMMMM

But sadness because he dies really young in that au

But not before he flies on one of his planes, stands on the wings, and watches for the last time as the sun meets the sky and bleeds into oranges and Pinks that melt away-

Like this

Even worse he does this to end off one of his parents fancy parties-

When he knows he's about to die and won't make it through the night-

He has a drink for the first time, shares a dance for the first time, kisses the boy he loves for the first time

Then goes up on that plane

And cries because he finally feels alive

When the plane lands he spends the rest of the party being close to the people he cares about as much as possible

When the party is over he gives them all heartfelt goodbyes

He retires to his room, Takes a long bath, and settles into bed with his dog Odysseus

He doesn't call for a nurse when he starts to cough and wretch blood, when his body feels weak and his eyes heavy. He only comforts Odysseus as he whines, telling him it'll be okay and cuddling with the dog

Then he closes his eyes and falls to sleep for the last time

He dies in pain in his bed, in the silence of his room broken only by odysseus’s whines and the crackle of a fire in it’s hearth. He doesn’t want to go but he’s so tired of trying to hold on. His entire life has been nothing but fighting against his own body and the constant pain he’s in. he’s tired of simply surviving from procedure to procedure, never actually getting to be a person.

VER. 2

In an alternate version he never gets the peace of going back to his bed. Instead he gets on that plane, and he sees where the sun meets the sky just like he always wanted to. He lets it look like an accident, when he lets go of the strut support and falls off. He cries and laughs as he finally feels alive. Feels infinite. He watches the colors of the sky shift and fade, as the clouds slowly drift closer. His body doesn’t even register the pain when he hits the ground, the sensation muddling together with the constant aches that have always been his constant companion. He can hear the sounds of rushed footsteps in the grass but can’t turn to look. He stares up at the sky as all the beautiful color mixes with the glittering rain that starts to fall, catching the light of the setting sun. even while he’s dying he still thinks the sky is the most gorgeous thing he’s ever seen. He can feel warm hands on his face, a pressure on his chest, the soft, hurried words of his father above him.

The sirens are loud in the distance, barely breaching his fading senses, they won’t get here in time and he knows it. He doesn’t want them to. His head carefully pressed into his fathers palm as lets out a finally shuddering breath, the heart that had always beat unsteadily finally slows and comes to a halt in his chest.

Later on after clearing his room for the sake of moving on, his family would find the letters he wrote. How he knew his time was running out and wanted to die with the memory of joy. That if he didn’t have a choice in day then he would go out in the way he wanted. That it was never an accident, but later a last ditch at being so irrevocably human.