章 44: Christmas Special!

"No."

"Oh, come on! Please? You're basically the Santa of the League anyways!" I clasp my hands and close my eyes, tilting my head in that way Himi tells me ups my adorable factor by seven.

"It is undignified, juvenile, and beneath me." All For One rejects me once again.

"It'll make Tomura happy," I say with sudden seriousness as I open my eyes, watching the minute movements of his scar tissue trying to make the motions that have since become impossible for him.

"Oh?" He asks, and with that I know that there's at least a small chance of him going along with my request.

I nod. "Usually the most interactions the two of you have are talking over the tv, right?" Getting a nod back, I continue. "Well, isn't that too impartial? You decided to retire and truly make him your replacement-"

No matter who you are, what your quirk is, or how old you are, there's always a tell. Sometimes it's a muscle twitch. Others a familiar or relaxing motion. Maybe an itch. It doesn't matter. Even people who have trained themselves not to have a tell, simply develop more subtle ones.

AFO's tell doesn't even last for half a second at my words. It's not obvious either. Practically nobody would even notice it.

It's a good thing that I'm not a nobody anymore.

When I mention him making Tomura his replacement, for the briefest fraction of a second, he stills. Something about that comment resonated with him, and not in a good way. But… I'm fairly certain that he doesn't mean Tomura any harm. Not because he's his father figure, I've experienced enough of that to know how little protection familial bonds are.

It's because the few times I've seen them together, they both relax. They're happy to be in each other's presence. It wasn't like that the first time for AFO, but something changed for him. They care for each other. Even if it doesn't get said.

But I suppose that isn't any of my business. Whatever they have between them is for them alone.

"-but that doesn't mean you need to stay out of his life!" I continue my previous assertion, tossing my musings to the back of my mind.

"I wish for Tomura to carve his own path through villainy, with the League of Villains supporting him. If I were to maintain a closer presence, he would consistently be attempting to make decisions that he believes would best please me. Not what he believes would further his own goals."

I shrug, texting Kurogiri to drop a portal. "Maybe," I say as the swirling darkness appears behind me. I turn around, throwing some last few words over my shoulders as I'm engulfed in the void. "But I'm a prime example of what could happen if your parents aren't involved in your life. Don't make the same mistake with your son."

`~`

"It's PRESENT TIME!!!"

"PRESENTS!!!"

I chuckle at Himi matching my yell with one of her own, Shigaraki grumbling while seated at the bar with a Santa hat on his head. Since it's Christmas, it was decided that today is going to be a pajama day! Apparently Shiggy just wears his normal clothes when he sleeps though, so he was sentenced to the hat!

Even Kurogiri joined in on the festivities and is wearing a set of white silk pajamas with purple polka dots. He's also holding a sleeping cap, but can he even wear it…?

Himi doesn't really have pajamas, usually she sleeps naked. Then again that could also be my fault. Not much point in buying something to sleep in if both of us are too dirty to put them on…

Thankfully I stopped her from going down like that today. Instead she's wearing a pair of pajamas styled after my Midosagi jacket. In onesie form! So adorable!

As for myself, I'm in baggy dark green pants with snowflakes and a red christmas sweater. I did invite One to join us for today, but he said that he just wants to 'process'. Bah. He can be a scrooge if he wants, for now, PRESENTS!

"Let's start off with Kurogiri's!" I exclaim and immediately get grumblings from Shigaraki.

"But I'm the leader. I should get to open mine first…"

I huff at him and cross my arms. "We both know that the moment you get a new video game you'll immediately start playing it." He avoids meeting my eyes and I roll them. "Besides, with how much Mamagiri does for us they should clearly be first!"

He still grumbles under his breath but accepts my reasoning. I pile the three presents for Kurogiri in front of him, one from each of us! "I thank you for the privilege of unwrapping my presents first, as well as including me in the festivities."

He reaches for the present on top and I see Shiggy perk up a bit as his muttered grumbling -I'm pretty sure that he was literally just saying 'grumble' and 'mutter' over and over- comes to a stop.

Must be his present. 'Good pick Mamagiri! He would have dusted something if his wasn't first!'

Gently disassembling the paper, a…air freshener?...is slowly unwrapped. "You're always wearing suits," Shiggy starts to explain. "And since suits need more care than regular clothes, I figured a steamer would make cleaning them a bit easier."

"Thank you, Tomura Shigaraki. It is a thoughtful gift." The corners of his eyes turning upwards. Shiggy turns away, and I overhear him muttering something about 'events like these not being so bad'.

My present is next, and what's revealed is a traveling bartender kit! "I figured that since you like bartending so much, having a little piece of home when you travel would be nice."

"I thank you, Midosagi. I do enjoy attending to the bar." He tilts his mist at me and I smile back.

Finally it's time for Himi's gift for him, though she's pouting for some reason? "Why didn't anyone tell me we were keeping his presents on the bartender theme? Mine doesn't fit that at all!"

That gets a round of chuckles out of the rest of us, and my curiosity grows. What could she have gotten him if it's not bartender-like? It's not like he does much else that I know of. After unwrapping her present he reveals…

A gun.

We all give Himi a Look. She gets an offended expression for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! You should see your faces! Hehehe. No, here's his real present." She tugs at the collar for her onesie and reaches inside, pulling out a sign with some rope.

"'Be patient. Even toilets can only service one asshole at a time.'" Shiggy reads aloud, and I can't help but facepalm at the joke.

Before I can smack Himi on the back of the head for it though a knock reverberates throughout the room. We all exchange looks of confusion before focusing on the door it came from. The door to the bar's storage room.

"Um, ho ho ho." A forced jolly laugh comes from behind it before it opens. And from behind it comes- "I have come to deliver presents to the powerful villains that make up the League of Villains."

All For One. Dressed in a Santa costume with the hat pulled low to cover up his lack of eyes and carrying a large sack on his back.

"...Sensei?" Tomura blinks at him as if he can't believe what he's seeing.

"Indeed, Tomura. Now that you are coming into your own as a villain, have recruited allies to your organization, I believe we can have a more…lax relationship."

There's a bit of strain when he speaks, clearly he can't stay for too long. But the expression on Tomura's face? It's like this is the first Christmas he's ever had.

I slide up next to him and give him a one-armed side hug. "Merry Christmas, Tomura. I hope you enjoy the best gift of all. A family that cares."

`~`

(Izumi)

Christmas Spirit is clearly shown in the house, practically every part of it being decked out in decorations, and a not insignificant amount of presents under the tree. Nothing was said, but we all came to an understanding that today, of all days, we would be a family.

We get excited over the presents we got for each other. We binge on fun Christmas movies. We meet up with Aunt Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru, who were sad because Bakugou ran off saying that he'd be back for dinner.

I'm not upset that I'm not hanging out with him, but I am angry at him for not spending the day with his family, like Christmas is supposed to be about.

And at the end of the day, after saying goodbye to them and having a nice, big, Christmas dinner. I sit on my knees in my room in front of a small shrine. I light the incense and clap twice, praying that Izuku is happy. Apologizing again.

I go to bed, leaving a notebook in front of the shrine for him.