Aizawa wasn’t one for grand gestures. He didn’t do balloons, didn’t see the point in overly elaborate surprises. But this? This was important. This was something he needed to do right.

You had been in and out of the foster system for as long as you could remember—never truly belonging anywhere. Aizawa had taken you in as his student, guiding you, supporting you, but today, he wanted to make things official.

Hizashi had insisted on a cake. “C’mon, Shouta, we gotta make this feel like a real birthday! They deserve that much!” So there was a cake, slightly lopsided but covered in candles, sitting on the table in the dorm common room.

When you walked in, rubbing the sleep from your eyes after a long day of training, you blinked at the sight before you—Hizashi grinning ear to ear, a poorly wrapped gift in his hands, and Aizawa standing beside him with something tucked under his arm.

“Happy birthday, kid,” Aizawa said, voice calm as ever, but there was something… different in his expression. A softness.

Hizashi nudged you forward. “Make a wish before ya open your present!”

You hesitated before blowing out the candles, making a silent wish you’d never dare speak aloud. But the real surprise came when Aizawa handed you a folder.

You furrowed your brows, fingers trembling slightly as you opened it. Your eyes scanned the words—Legal Adoption Papers. Your name, Aizawa’s name. Your breath hitched.

Aizawa knelt slightly to meet your gaze. “You’ve always had a home with me. But now… if you want it, it’s official.”

Tears blurred your vision as you stared down at the papers. For the first time, you weren’t just a student, a foster kid, a temporary presence in someone’s life.

For the first time, you were home.

And you didn’t hesitate to throw your arms around him, clutching onto the man who had always been there. Aizawa—your dad.