It starts with just a few meet ups between the two, someone has to supervise, someone needs to make sure Kouta doesn't say something he'll regret and that Eri doesn't get too spooked.

So he says yes to be the one to supervise, and why wouldn't he? He and Kouta have been sending letters back and forth for a few months now, and Eri might as well be glued to the side of his leg at this point, he's the natural choice.

The two children have been exchanging letters themselves for a couple months, and them meeting seemed like a natural progression, but both the Pussy Cats and UA, who were Eri's de facto caretakers, at least officially, thought it best to make sure things went as smoothly as they could.

And while Izuku is glad to help, he's never thought himself to be all that proficient when it comes to dealing with kids, but the two seem determined to prove him wrong.

—

At first they just hang out around town near UA, for safety's sake.

A trip to the mall to buy clothes, a walk to the nearby park to feed the birds, simple and calm things that seem to do wonders for Kouta's short temper and Eri's nerves.

He crouches down between them in the park one day, a bag of sunflower seeds in one hand as he quietly shows them how to give them to the birds without having them fly off in a freight. They both watch intently, and after a few minutes he hands the bag over to Kouta, who's hands, he noticed, have started to twitch with restraint.

He grabs the bag with both hands, and then proceeds to lock gazes with an off white pigeon for a full minute, his mouth twisting in uncertainty as he moves his fingers on the underside of the bag and the bird moves its head this way and that, waiting for a meal.

Carefully, inch by inch, he reaches one hand into the bag and grabs the smallest handful of seeds before scattering it a few inches away from his toes, and the bird wastes very little time digging in, pecking away at the ground for it's food.

Kouta seems to have gotten all the encouragement he needed, and he throws a few more handfuls of seeds about with a mild grin, catching the attention of a few more birds to come near, the soft sounds filling their tiny corner of the park.

Eri had been staring a bit herself, eyes widening as more and more white feathers filled the near vicinity, and although still glued to Izuku's side she found herself drawn to the many cooing doves surrounding her.

So focused in fact that it took her a bit to notice Kouta offering her the seed bag.

"You want to feed them too don't ya?"

She hesitates, she's only known him for a few weeks at this point, at least in person. She isn't sure if she's allowed yet, part of her wants to just shake her head no and let him have fun, to content herself with watching.

But she steals a glance towards Izuku, and he smiles wide and inviting and suddenly she feels a little courage well up in her, and she reaches over to grab the bag.

"You better hurry," Kouta laughs a little pointing down to a spot next to her feet at a particularly small bird, "That one looks kinda hungry."

The pigeon looked up at Eri and cooed, tilting it's head at the girl as if it agreed with the statement.

Gulping, she shyly took out a small amount of seeds, and started lower her hand to the ground to scatter them. But before she could, the small dove went ahead to start eating straight from her palm. Eri, for her part, froze on the spot as the bird pecked lightly at its food, trying not to scare it off.

She looked back at the other two, eyes mildly pleading for help, only to be met with a very amused smile from Izuku and a wide gape from Kouta, "That is so cool."

Izuku nodded, chuckling slightly as he looked at the bird eating without a care right out of Eri's palm. He then calmly rubbed Eri's back, making her visibly relax, "It really is cool Eri-chan," When the girl looked back quizzically, he took a few seeds from the bag and scattered them next to the same pigeon that was eating from her palm, who looked at them for a moment before eating, "These birds can tell if someone is dangerous."

Eri only raised an eyebrow in response, only to have another bird start to eat what was left in her palm, making Kouta gape a bit more.

"It means they trust you," Izuku continued, smiling softly at her as the bird finished and looked up at her, waiting for more food, "They know you won't hurt them."

Eri stared at Izuku for a moment, before looking back at the bird, who was joined by a few others, before her face adopted a confident look and she took another pile of seeds in her hand, bigger this time, and offered it to the birds, who happily started to dig in.

"Let me try!" Kouta cried, grabbing the bag from her and taking out some seeds in his palm, offering it to the some of the birds…who looked at him with tilted heads for a moment before walking over to Eri, calmly waiting in line behind those who were still eating.

Izuku laughed, while he patted Kouta's head gently, who glared at the birds mildly before scattering his seeds a bit away, which were quickly pecked clean by a few stray sparrows, one of which flew over and landed on the brim of his hat and leaned down to peak at him, its' small black eyes seeming to ask for food.

Izuku just laughed a little more, watching as the kids passed the bag back and forth to feed the birds, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon.

—

After a few months they started visiting his mother, who was delighted to have the two kids around the house.

She had them help her with cooking, which mostly involved them making a mess and tasting spoons to make sure the food tasted right, "Tasting spoons is the most important job in the kitchen you know!" She smiled when she handed over the chocolate laden wooden utensil to the two, "Used to have Izuku to help me with it, so now you two will have to help me instead!"

They were more than willing to complete their task, obviously.

They also have no complaints about visiting Izuku's old room, still heavy with all the All Might memorabilia he couldn't fit in his luggage to take to the dorms. Inko tries not to cry from nostalgia as Izuku, clad in a heavy blanket, is chased by the two kids as they wave around a couple of his All Might action figures around while they play "hero."

If they need to stay the night, they also have no issue with sharing Izuku's bed while he sleeps on the floor next to them.

(Inko has more pictures of that than she knows what to do with.)

One time while she and Izuku set the table for dinner, she keeps glancing his way and chuckling to herself.

Eventually Izuku laughs himself and looks at her, "Something on my face Mom?"

"No no dear," She laughs a little more, putting a hand to her cheek, "I've just been wondering something for a while."

"What?"

"Are you sure you didn't get my quirk?"

Izuku raises an eyebrow, "Um…yeah, I'm sure." He scratches his head in bewilderment, "What makes you think that?"

"Well," She points to the kitchen, where Kouta and Eri are busy at work at putting the finishing touches, i.e sprinkles, to the cupcakes they'll have for desert with a wily smile, "Small objects seem to be drawn to you, wouldn't you say?"

His whole face catches fire, but he smartly clamps his mouth shut as the kids pile into the dining room, yelling for food. His mother winks at him as she goes to the kitchen to grab the plates of food, leaving Izuku to try and explain to Eri why his face is all red.

—

Every year Izuku gets a call from Kouta, where he simply says, "Can you come visit me today?…please?"

He always says yes, having made sure weeks in advance that this day in particular has a completely cleared schedule. He never told Kouta this, but he knows, and appreciates it.

No matter how old he gets, and no matter how many years go by, the sight of his parents graves always drags a sob or two out of the young man, always brings back the memories of when his aunt came home with news that would shatter his life for years.

He never goes alone, one of the pussy cats always tries to come with him, but Kouta always felt like he was being a burden when they did.

Asking Izuku always seemed easier, somehow.

Sometimes, Eri would come too, to hold his hand and cry with him when the cold sight of the tombstones became too much.

Those days were the easiest.

—

Izuku and Kouta made a decision one day, out of the blue, that they would throw Eri a birthday party.

The first challenge was the date, which they had no idea.

"…The day you saved her." Kouta said one day, his face lighting up like he had the most brilliant idea ever thought, "That should be her birthday!" Izuku couldn't find a reason against it, so they set to work.

And a lot of work it was, buying her gifts and inviting people and keeping it a secret without it seeming weird, but they managed somehow.

It ended up being rather small, they only invited class 1-A and B, as well as some of the teachers and Inko, who along with Satou made the cake, but it was loud and happy and lasted all day long.

Kouta saved his gift for last, a hat much like his own, only with the one horn on the top, a hole next to it for Eri's horn to poke out.

(Kirishima and Ashido suggested the words "Horn buddy" to be written on the brim, and although he wasn't sure why, but it sounded like a cool idea, so he went with it.)

He handed it to her with a slight blush, and when she opened it and took it out of the box she gaped at him for a long while. Before he could say something irritable about her giving it back if she didn't like it she flung her arms around him in a tight hug.

(Izuku still has the photo of them with their matching hats from that day, Kouta putting an arm over Eri's shoulder while she held up a peace sign and they both grinned ear to ear. It's one of his favorites.)

It's since become a tradition for the two to take on the responsibility of planning her birthday parties themselves, and every year they do something different to surprise her, and every year they collaborate on the gift.

She's gotten all sorts of things over the years, but the hat is still her favorite, which she refuses to throw away.

"This ratty old thing is practically falling apart!"

"I don't care! I like it!"

Izuku just chuckles and takes another photo, they've had this argument a hundred dozen times already.

"Papa! Tell him to stop bullying my hat!"

"I'm not bullying your damn hat, I'm bullying you for keeping it!"

She gasps, "What kind of friend does that!?"

"The best that's who!"

"Kouta, stop that or you're grounded."

"Wha-! I'm 25!"

"Hah!"

(Kouta doesn't call him dad…at least when Eri is within ear shot, "She'll never let me live it down…."

Izuku has no problem keeping that to himself.)