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“Mama, maybe Santa Claus will bring me a quirk this year!”
Inko stopped what she was doing to look at her son. Izuku sat on the floor surrounded by hero figurines and draped in an All Might blanket.
“M-maybe he will honey,” Inko said as kindly as possible. She kneeled down in front of him and caressed his cheek. “But you know it doesn’t work that way. Santa only brings good boys and girls toys and presents. Things they can hold and play with. Like your hero figurines.”
“Mhm, I know,” Izuku nodded cutely, before folding up the letter and handing it up to her. “But papa said it doesn’t hurt to ask!”
Inko raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything else.
Somewhere in the distance, Hisashi shivered.
❆❆❆
“Why did you tell Izuku that Santa would bring him a quirk?” Inko stomped into Hisashi’s office without knocking. She had just finished tucking Izuku in for the night but continued using her inside voice just in case he was still drifting off.
Hisashi gave her a nervous grin from his seat, lowering the glasses from his nose. He didn’t even need them to see but claimed they made him look more intellectual.
“I didn’t tell him Santa would bring him a quirk,” he said with a slight wave of his hand. “I said he should ask Santa for a quirk. There’s a fundamental difference my dear.”
Inko rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. “And does this ‘fundamental difference’ involve you magically breaking into my house on Christmas night in a red suit and a sleigh? Hm?”
Hisashi blinked a couple of times before flashing her a smile. “Of course not. Santa Claus isn’t an evil and ancient super villain with a bad ass quirk,” he winked but then visibly turned pale when Inko didn’t stop frowning. “H-he also doesn’t have a beautiful wife named Inko who is definitely not going to make him sleep on the couch tonight? R-right?”
Hisashi stood and attempted to wrap his arms around Inko’s body but she used her quirk to place a stapler in between them. It glimmered dangerously in front of Hisashi’s face.
“I don’t want you anywhere near Izuku on Christmas. You can stay over for dinner but that’s it. No touching him either. I’ll be watching you,” Inko narrowed her gaze before setting the stapler down with her hand, taking the opportunity to tidy up Hisashi’s desk.
“Okay, okay,” her husband threw up his hands and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “No quirk and no physical contact on Christmas. Can I still give him a present at least?”
Inko huffed and turned to look at him. “Yes, Hisashi. You may give our son a physical, tangible thing for Christmas like a normal father would.”
Hisashi grinned, rubbing his hands together as he sat back down. “Perfect. And don’t worry, I’ll get you something too,” he wiggled his eyebrows.
Inko resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but didn’t bother trying to hide the small smile that began appearing on her face.
❆❆❆
On the night before Christmas, Izuku had a strange dream. Except when he woke up he wasn’t sure it had been a dream at all.
Startled, he had opened his eyes only to see that the world was still dark outside. Izuku sat up groggily and rubbed at his face. The door of his room suddenly creaked open and the little boy stopped moving altogether.
“H-hello?” He whispered, trying to stop his tiny heart from beating so fast. “Santa Claus? Is… is that you?” When he didn’t get a response, Izuku wrapped his All Might blanket around his shoulders like a cape and rolled off the bed to go and take a look.
He had to be brave and strong.
Someone was in the kitchen. That much he could figure out by the mysterious figure’s footsteps. Then the man straightened and Izuku couldn’t help but let out a gasp. The blanket dropped to the ground and he pointed up at him.
“Y-you’re Santa Claus!”
Santa turned around and gave Izuku a jolly old grin. He was just like Izuku thought he would be. Tall, friendly-looking, with a white fluffy beard and a round belly. His coat looked soft and was redder than Crimson Riot’s hair. His shoes were shinier than any of Best Jeanist’s belts and his laugh, although quiet, was even better than All Might’s somehow.
“Ho-ho-ho! Merry Christmas, Young ‘zuku, I– I mean, Midoriya,” Santa’s cheeks seemed to turn a bit red but Izuku ignored it. He rushed over to him and stared up at his face in a daze.
“How do you know my name?” Izuku asked, his heart fluttering a little.
“Uh, well,” Santa scratched at his head, “Santa knows all the boys and girls names. Especially the kids whose names end up at the top of his list.”
Izuku’s eyes widened. “My name was on your list?”
Santa chuckled and bent down to pat Izuku’s head. “Of course it was, son.”
Izuku smiled and Santa’s face went red again.
“Er, Midoriya,” Santa added quickly. Izuku’s smile only widened, especially since the more he looked at the old man, the more Izuku felt like he knew him somehow. He even sounded familiar too.
“Say, Mr. Santa,” Izuku furrowed his brows slightly, “you don’t look that old.”
Santa chuckled and wiped at his brow. It wasn’t that hot in the room, Izuku wondered why he was sweating. “Oh, Midoriya. You are quite the observant child. Say, how about I give you your present now, yeah? Santa’s very busy today and should get going very soon.”
Izuku nodded quickly and all of his thoughts about the man’s familiarity immediately melted away. But then he deflated and stared back down at his feet. “I–I don’t think you brought me what I want though.”
“What? A quirk?”
Izuku looked up slowly. “But it’s not possible. I know it’s not. P-plus, Kacchan said Santa doesn’t give quirkless kids like me any presents at all.”
One of Santa Claus’ eyebrows twitched. “Oh, did he now?”
“Yeah. He said I’ll never get a quirk cuz I’m just a Deku.”
“Well you know what, this Kacchan person better watch out. If he ends up on the naughty list next year, I’ll be forced to take his quirk away,” Santa Claus said in a low tone.
Izuku blinked. “Wh- you can do that?”
“Oh, I can do that and more,” Santa smirked, his eyes shimmering darkly.
Izuku frowned slightly and shook his head. “No, Santa. That’s okay. Kacchan needs to become a hero with his quirk. You can’t take it from him.”
Santa sighed and his shoulders slumped. Something like “stupid hero ideologies” slipped from his lips but Izuku didn’t catch it. Then, just like that, Santa was jolly again. “Okay, fine. Stick out your hand.”
Despite feeling a bit confused, Izuku did as he was told. Santa rummaged around the sack on his back and then produced a palm sized box wrapped in green.
“It’s green! My favorite,” Izuku giggled, running his hands over the ribbon carefully.
Santa smiled and nudged at his shoulder. “Santa is a very smart man. So, go on. Open it.”
“R-right now?” Izuku asked through a gasp. “In front of you?”
Santa nodded. “I want to see your reaction.”
Izuku chewed on his bottom lip as he figured out what to do. If Santa was telling him to open up his present before Christmas morning, who was he to say no? After thinking about it for a while more, Izuku tore open the package excitedly, only to cock his head to the side in confusion when he saw what was inside.
“It’s… a piece of hair?” he blinked, carefully picking out the strand with his fingertips. In the glow of the Christmas tree lights, it looked green.
“Mine actually, uh, before it went white,” Santa said through a cough. He was red in the face again but Izuku was too focused on the hair to notice.
He twirled it around in his fingers for a while before putting it back in the box. “I’m sorry, Santa but I don’t understand.”
Santa sighed and kneeled beside him. “You have to eat it, son– uh, child.”
Izuku couldn’t help the soft giggles that escaped him when he heard Santa Claus explain. “What do you mean I have to eat it? Santa, that’s silly!”
Santa chuckled quietly as well. “I know. But it’s the only way I could convince… er, Mrs. Claus, to let me give it to you. Actually it’s.. sort of a loophole,” he added with a grumble.
“So, if I eat it, I’ll get a quirk?” Izuku asked, his voice trembling slightly. Because he had dreamed of this moment his whole life. He just never expected it would ever come true. This had to be a dream! It had to be. Eating hair. Who would have thought.
“Yes.”
Izuku stared determinedly at Santa and then back at the hair. “Okay,” he said, trying to ignore the queasy way his stomach turned at the thought of eating hair. “If Santa Claus wants me to eat his magical hair, then I’ll do it.”
“Atta boy!” Santa grinned before getting up.
Izuku gave him another nervous smile and then swallowed the hair.
“Merry Christmas, ‘zuku,” Santa said as he began to pack up his stuff. He gave him a tight, warm hug and Izuku once again got the feeling that he knew this man. Santa let him go before the feeling could develop into something more however.
“Merry Christmas,” Izuku said softly with a small wave.
Still in a daze, he watched Santa’s form fade away and then he stumbled back into his room where he crawled into bed. Izuku was tired and still very much confused. But he was hopeful and full of Christmas spirit. Maybe tomorrow he really would wake up with a quirk just like Santa had said.
And so he did.
❆❆❆
Inko was half-awake when Izuku barreled into her room and started jumping on the bed.
“Mama, mama!” he shrieked in between bouts of laughter.
“What is it, Izuku?” Inko asked, immediately sitting up and reaching over to turn on the light.
Izuku only stopped to move closer to her. “Look, look!”
And when Inko did look, she saw as her son made all of the things in the room levitate.
“Izuku!” Inko’s eyes widened, all of the sleep leaving her body. “Y-you, you have a quirk??”
“I can pull things towards me now, like you,” Izuku clapped his hands together, eyes shimmering with tears of what Inko could only assume was genuine joy.
“S-so you can,” she said through a forced laugh, wrapping the robe around her body and watching as a pillow sailed past her face and landed in her son’s arms.
“Well would you look at that,” a different voice said. Inko whipped her head around as Hisashi appeared in the doorway, a smug grin plastered on his face. “It’s a Christmas miracle.”
“Papa! Papa, look,” Izuku turned towards him, the pillows still floating around his head. “I got a quirk! Santa Claus brought me a quirk!”
Hisashi’s smirk widened until Inko narrowed her gaze at him. He quickly looked away from her and walked over to their son. “How very nice of him. You know you’re very lucky, 'zuku,” Hisashi said as he ruffled Izuku’s fluffy green hair. “Santa must have thought you were extra good this year even with all that All Might garbage you own.” The last part was quiet but Inko heard it and immediately elbowed Hisashi in the ribs.
Izuku momentarily paused and Inko noticed that he gave his father a strange look, but then he started jumping up and down again. “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I can’t wait to tell Kacchan,” the little boy gasped suddenly and tumbled into Inko’s arms again. “Mama, can we go over to Kacchan’s place? Oh, pleeeease?! Can we, can we? I want to show him my quirk so we can play.”
Inko’s gaze softened as she reached down and kissed Izuku on the cheek despite her frustrations with her husband. “Of course you can, sweetheart. Go get dressed, mommy and daddy will be ready soon.”
“Okay, mama!”
“Heh. Merry Christmas?” Hisashi said as he began backing away towards the door. Before he could slip away, Inko used her quirk to tug at his hair and dragged him back inside the room.
“Ow, ow, ow! Hey—” Hisashi stopped in front of her as Inko stared him down.
“I don’t know how the hell you did it but when I find out I’m going to–”
“But Inko, don’t you see how happy he is?” Hisashi asked through a wince as Inko continued tugging. He gestured towards the door with fake doe eyes and batting lashes. Izuku’s giggles and shrieks could be heard all the way from his room.
“Hisashi,” Inko sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. As happy as she was to see her son happy, especially after the diagnosis he had received last year, she still wasn’t comfortable about her husband’s involvement. “We talked about this. You can’t just go around stealing quirks for our son. It’s not right.” But despite her frustrations, she released him and sat back down on the bed.
“Now which poor person did you take it from this time?”
“Your mom,” Hisashi said casually.
“What,” Inko deadpanned.
Hisashi’s eyes widened when he probably realized what he had just said. “W-wait! Before you kick me out, just know that she willingly gave it to me a while back. It was a wedding present. You know she always secretly supported my cause. I didn’t steal it from her, I promise,” he threw his hands up in the air, backing away slowly.
Inko’s eyes fluttered closed and she put her head in her hands. “Remind me why I married you again?” she asked.
“Because of my uttermost generosity and charm?” Hisashi chuckled into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her neck and pressed their foreheads together. Inko growled quietly below him and he immediately let go, pretending to investigate the lamp on their nightstand.
“Mama! I’m all done getting ready now,” Izuku knocked on the door and his tiny head peeked inside. His cheeks were red and his hair was a mess but he looked happier than Inko had ever seen before.
Maybe… maybe this was okay. But she couldn't let her husband know she was thinking this way. God no, he would never shut up about it if she did.
Instead, Inko gave Hisashi a stern glance before walking over to her son and scooping him up. “Hurry up and get dressed or we’ll leave with you.”
And then she walked out with Izuku and shut the door in Hisashi’s face.
❆❆❆
“No way. Santa Claus doesn’t just give people quirks. He’s weak and old and fat. Bullcrap,” Katsuki snapped.
Hisashi stiffened beside Inko. Everyone missed the way he bent the fork. Just like everyone missed how he put it back together again. This damn Bakugou brat was getting on his last nerves. Why couldn't his son have wished for him to get his quirk taken away for Christmas instead?
Mitsuki shot her son a glare. “Katsuki!” she scolded. “No cursing on Christmas.”
Izuku gnawed on his bottom lip, obviously embarrassed. “Y-yeah. Be nice, Kacchan or else Santa will take away your quirk next year.”
Exactly, Hisashi smirked. Tell him, son.
“He’ll what?” Inko’s eyes widened as she turned towards Hisashi.
His smirk had never dropped faster in his life.
Well, shit.
“He’s just mad because Santa Claus brought him coal this year,” Masaru chuckled quietly, giving Izuku a playful wink.
“But it’s not fair!” the blonde brat slammed his hands on the table. Hisashi detested the way they crackled and popped. “Deku is telling lies.”
Call my son Deku one more time, he thought while clenching his fists. Do it you little gremlin. I want a reason to deck the halls in your face. (Okay maybe Hisashi was taking this Santa Claus thing a little too seriously).
Izuku pouted slightly as he turned to face his friend. “But it’s the truth, Kacchan! I had to eat Santa’s hair and everything.”
Inko nearly choked on her salad beside Hisashi. “H-hair?” she shot Hisashi another side glance and he continued to ignore her, pretending to be fascinated with the leftover peas on his plate even though he knew that she knew he absolutely hated them.
“Santa Claus made you eat what now?” Mitsuki gaped. “Is this some kind of Christmas-Midoriya tradition, Inko?” the blonde woman raised a brow.
“It must be from Hisashi’s side of the family,” Inko said through a forced smile and gritted teeth. Nobody noticed how she kicked Hisashi from under the table. Hisashi did though. Because it hurt like shit.
“Heh, maybe he heard it on TV somewhere. Kids these days, am I right?” Hisashi half-laughed, half-groaned in response, leaning down to rub soothe his toe.
Katsuki scowled and Hisashi almost blurted out how ugly he looked in that moment.
“Ew! What the hell, Deku? What kind of made up shit is that?”
“Katsuki!” Mitsuki snapped.
Masaru seemed to be suppressing a long sigh. “Alright, alright children. Settle down now. Finish your lunch and then we can have the leftover Christmas cookies for dessert.”
The promise of cookies seemed to do the trick. Hisashi made a mental note to bribe his son with sweet things later. He was still quite new at this whole ‘parenting’ thing.
“I call the one with orange sprinkles!” Katsuki said with a triumphant smirk as he turned towards Izuku, probably to see how he would react.
Little gremlin blasty piece of—
“Awh, but you know orange sprinkles are my favorite, Kacchan,” Izuku pouted and Hisashi resisted the urge to take him and run, leaving Katsuki Bakugou quirkless and useless. That would teach him not to mess with his son or his son’s favorite cookies.
The blonde gremlin brat simply rolled his eyes. “You snooze, you lose, Deku. Go eat your fake Santa hair and cry about it.”
“But it wasn’t fake!” Izuku began tearing up as he gazed at the other boy desperately. “I really did eat Santa’s hair, promise—”
Eventually the two were standing in their chairs, arguing over hair and Santa Claus, a conversation which somehow turned into a discussion of heroes and Hisashi bent another utensil upon hearing All Might’s name.
“Boys!” Mitsuki hissed and Hisashi silently thanked her. He wasn’t sure he would have been able to keep his opinions from tumbling out any longer. And there were a lot of curse words in his vocabulary. Definitely not child appropriate. “Sit down and eat your sandwiches or you won’t get any cookies at all.”
Izuku immediately apologized and Katsuki only humphed, turning away from everyone.
Hisashi did roll his eyes this time. He needed to start teaching his son about being evil before his hero complex developed into something problematic. Maybe next year he could tell him that Santa Claus was actually a really cool super villain with awesome hair and a way better quirk than that chump All Might.
Eventually, the kids finally settled down and the adults continued the light banter from before, which included Hisashi restraining the urge to annihilate Katsuki Bakugou. Except then Inko leaned towards him and whispered in his ear, breaking him out of his thoughts.
“Hair?” she asked, the irritation in her tone clear as day. “Really, Hisashi?”
At that, the man couldn’t help but grin.
“Hey, you said no touching. I had to improvise.”