Chapter 4- A New Life for Izuku

The moment he opened his eyes, he realized 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 was very different about the shrine. Izuku sat up from the pillows (𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦!?) and looked around. Even his bed wasn't the same floor futon that he'd fallen asleep on the night before. His fingers ran along the soft, silky blankets in humble awe. His entire life he'd been poor, there were even years when him and his mom shared a bed. So to wake up in a huge king size bed, all to himself, with elegant bedding and feather stuffed pillows left him a little dumbfounded.

As he examined the rest of his surroundings, he quickly discovered there was a lot more added to the once empty room. Framing the bed was a midnight blue canopy with gold stitching that matched the bedding he was currently laying in. Across from the bed was an oak dresser, beside it a traditional 3 panel room divider. His bags he'd arrived in were stacked neatly on the floor, looking much thinner and emptier than they should have been.

"Good morning, Izuku-sama," a voice said from the doorway.

With a startled twitch, Izuku turned to face Shouto. The fox yokai bowed his head low and respectfully, hands stiff at his sides, the two shrine spirits jumping up from behind him, "Good morning Izuku-Sama! Do you like the new furniture?" Ochako asked in excitement.

Izuku climbed out of the bed awkwardly, nodding his head in earnest, "Yes! But where did it all come from?"

"Master Shouto prepared the shrine for you while you were sleeping, to make it more comfortable," Tsuyu explained as she began to straighten out the tousled blankets.

"Oh let me help you, Tsuyu-chan," Izuku said, reaching for the blankets on the other side.

With two long strides, Shouto was suddenly beside Izuku and gently pulling him away, "You relax, I'll help Tsuyu-chan and you can go eat the breakfast I've prepared for you in the front room."

He stood in shock, blinking his eyes wide at Shouto, "Uh.. okay? Thanks!"

Shouto tucked in the sheets and then gave Izuku a quick glance; and with no emotion to his voice said, "No need to thank me, Izuku-sama, I'm your familiar now and I'm just doing my duty."

Something about the whole situation made Izuku's stomach churn in discomfort. He quietly followed Ochako out to the front room, brow furrowed in thought. Shouto didn't seem so against Izuku now, that was for sure. But he wasn't being exactly warm or friendly either. The continuous title of "𝘐𝘻𝘶𝘬𝘶-𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘢" was starting to bother him, too.

Ochako sat him down at a table prepared with food. His stomach growled hungrily and he sheepishly smiled back at her as she giggled at the noise. As he munched on rice and egg, he noticed that this room was also now fully furnished, unlike the day before. Against a wall was a large TV, some local news channel quietly playing in the background. There was a large sofa and a lamp against one wall, while another had a bookcase full of books and movies that Izuku promised himself he'd peak at later.

"Where did all of this stuff even come from?" He asked the brunette seated beside him.

"Master Shouto got it, though he didn't say from where. It's not as traditional as we had it when Momo-Sama was the Land God, but hopefully this more modern furnishing is suitable to your needs, Izuku-Sama."

"It's fine! Much nicer than what I had before," he insisted.

She seemed pleased by his approval and then put some more food on his plate.

"Is.. something troubling you, Izuku-sama?" Ochako asked after watching him eat in silence for a few minutes, doll eyes blinking at him curiously.

He sat his fork down and turned to her. She sat on his right side, hands in her lap and her face kind. Her rosy cheeks smiled at him reassuringly and she nodded her head for him to answer the question.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful.." he started. He looked up to see Tsuyu walk in curiously, Shouto behind her. His face was still straight and unreadable, but Izuku found himself feeling less bothered by it.

Izuku looked down at his lap, "Is it possible that everyone could just call me Izuku? Drop the 'Sama'?"

Ochako tilted her head in confusion, "But why?"

He sighed, twittering his fingers nervously, "It just makes me feel a little weird. I dunno, like you guys put me above you or something and I feel bad about it."

"We do put you above us. You're a god," Shouto stated as he leaned back against the wall.

Izuku took a deep, frustrated breath, "That doesn't make me 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 than any of you though. I just.. can we try it out? Please?"

The three shared a quick glance, and Shouto nodded his head. Ochako wiggled in her seat beside Izuku, puffing her cheeks out dramatically, "Okay, Izuku!" She held her breath, face turning pink.

"It may take us some time to get used to, kero," Tsuyu admitted, "But we want to do whatever makes you most comfortable, Izuku.." she dragged out his name, stopping awkwardly as she held back from adding the honorific.

Izuku smiled warmly at them, "Thank you."

…

"What are you doing?"

With a timid shriek, Izuku fell on his butt and dropped the stack of books he'd been balancing in each hand and on his head as he was doing squats. Shouto knelt down beside the blushing boy to help him pick up the heavy books, then reached for the side table to grab the half empty glass of water and hand it to Izuku. Izuku nodded his head in thanks and gulped down the refreshing drink.

After letting him catch his breath, and they'd picked up all the books, Shouto repeated, "What are you doing, Izuku?"

"Exercise?" Izuku replied sheepishly as he moved to sit on the couch. He patted the soft cushion next to him as an invitation for Shouto to sit with him.

The yokai glanced at Izuku's nicely toned arms, presented amiably by the tight black t-shirt he was wearing to exercise in. Maybe Izuku wasn't as weak as he'd thought. He sat a cushion down from him, leaving some space between them, "You're trying to get stronger?" Shouto asked with a raised eyebrow.

Izuku nodded, "If being a god means I'm going to have yokai or monster creatures coming after me on a regular basis, then I need to be able to defend myself and fight back!" He pumped a fist into the air.

The fox yokai stared at Izuku oddly, his eyes narrowed slightly, and replied, "You don't need to be physically strong when you have me to protect you."

Redness returned to Izuku's cheeks, "Thank you, I guess.. I'd still feel better about myself if I was a little more fit, though."

"Then I'll train you," Shouto replied with a curt nod, "but I think you should prioritize strengthening your divine powers first."

"Divine… 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴!?" Izuku leaned towards Shouto eagerly, scooting himself closer on the couch.

His excitement was so naive and childlike. Shouto gave him a suspicious look at their closeness, but didn't move away, "A god's power is called divine powers. It's strength increases with use, and so the quick and easy way for you to increase your divine power would be by listening to people's prayers and granting their wishes. Momo was known for matchmaking, and so soon I'm sure people are going to come to you expecting it. She had received many prayers of those seeking love, and she granted them, and so her divine powers of matchmaking are incredibly strong."

"That makes sense!" Izuku shouted, "I've been reading the amazing notebooks you filled, and I noticed a lot of them were seeking romance! This used to be a matchmaking shrine, huh?"

Shouto's pulse jumped at the small compliment, but he ignored the strange sensation.

"Yes," he replied, getting up from the couch, "I think it's important that we test your current abilities and see where you need to go from there."

There was a poof of smoke and then in its place appeared Ochako and Tsuyu, "We want to watch, kero."

Shouto brought Izuku a clear glass of water and set it on the coffee table in front of him, "Turn this water into sake."

Tsuyu handed Izuku a white talisman and brush like she'd given him the night before. Izuku neatly wrote out '𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘦' and then stuck the talisman to the side of the glass. The glass began to shimmer and glow, resulting in "oooh"s from the girls and an excited gasp from Izuku. After a few seconds, the glowing stopped and Ochako eagerly took the glass in both hands and took a sip.

"Oh my!" She sipped it again, closing her eyes peacefully, "It's delicious.."

Izuku grinned proudly, but then Ochako continued, "..Water. Delicious water."

He groaned, sitting back and thumping his head against the couch, "How come I was able to make a bunch of slugs appear when we were running from that Shigaraki guy, but I can't even change a simple glass of water?"

Tsuyu tapped her chin in thought, "Maybe because it was a life or death situation?"

"We can threaten to kill you if you don't turn the water into sake, if that'll help?" Ochako offered with a large, frighteningly devious smile.

Shouto shook his head, "Let's not. He's obviously not ready, we just need to start smaller; we'll have Izuku answer the next prayer that comes and hope that it makes him a little stronger. Baby steps, I suppose."

He turned and walked to the front door of the shrine, "If you'll excuse me, Izuku, I have duties to attend to," He bowed his head formally, again, and then turned and left.

Shouto sighed as soon as he was outside, pausing on the porch before getting to the yard work. He wanted to feel excited to be useful again, to be serving beside a god and taking care of Momo's shrine. But Izuku was so… 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. At this rate Momo's shrine really would be useless. It deserved better. They all did.

...

They waited for Shouto to slide the door all the way closed, before Izuku turned to the shrine spirits with a defeated sigh, "I think I disappointed him."

"It's okay, Izuku sa-.. Izuku," Ochako patted his hand reassuringly, "We disappoint him all the time and he still likes us.. I think."

Izuku snorted, a small giggle that grew into a louder, more contagious laugh. Ochako grinned up at him sweetly, pleased with herself for making him laugh. Tsuyu smiled contently, her eyes closed and tongue poking out between her thin lips.

They thought it was nice, having a God again.

…

Izuku was out on the sofa, snuggled up comfortably in a large blanket while he read more of the prayer notebooks. He was incredibly comfortable; the prayer notebooks always made him feel calm and the tea Ochako had made for him earlier sat warm and happy in his belly. Across the room from him was the tv, still on and playing the news, but he ignored it. He just liked the low volume on to keep the room from feeling too silent. When he heard footsteps approaching the shrine from outside, he sat the notebook down on the coffee table and waited eagerly. He sat up straight, waiting for the voice of a stranger. He 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 hoped it would be a visitor coming to pray.

The front door slid open and Shouto walked in, carrying a stack of envelopes. Izuku's shoulders dropped and he held himself back from sighing out loud at the sight of the fox eared man, no praying visitors for him to bless. He tossed an envelope into Izuku's lap, "There's some mail for you."

"Already?" He gaped, ripping open the top letter and blanched, "𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴!?! My dad's debt followed me here too? I can't escape it!"

He threw the envelope on the table and pulled the blanket over his head, "Wake me up in 100 years," he moaned.

Shouto sat beside Izuku on the couch and looked at the letter. His body stiffened and his fox ears stood straight up, "Your father owes 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 much?! And 𝘺𝘰𝘶 have to pay it?" He asked, his brows furrowed deeply and face so offended that Izuku wanted to laugh, if the situation had been different.

"He's a real jerk," Izuku's muffled voice whined from under the blanket, "I don't know how I'm going to pay off this debt, it's not like I have a paying job anymore and I would never take money from the shrine."

"I wouldn't let you," Shouto huffed in annoyance beside him.

Just then, an ad on TV caught Izuku's attention. An exhausted looking older man stared at the camera, his face irritated and tired. He had heavy, dark bags under his eyes and long black wavy hair. It looked like he'd forgotten to shave that morning. Behind him was an office of some sort, but it looked oddly fake and Izuku suspected it was just a green screen.

"Hiring on the spot, 2pm today. Janitorial positions open. No experience required. Part time. Hoshi Stadium. Yes, the stadium Kyouka Jirou performs. $10 an hour," his voice sounded exhausted and rough, like the poor man desperately needed ten shots of espresso.

The channel went back to the news, showing a thin woman with way too much makeup talk about the weather. A clock on the wall showed that it was an hour till 2. Izuku turned to Shouto in excitement, the blanket wrapped around his head like a cloak, "I gotta go! I'll get the job, and then be able to pay some of these bills! I don't have to worry about rent costs anymore and so I bet I could totally take care of it all in no time!

Shouto leaned back, his opposite arm sat over the armrest and he dropped his face into his palm lazily, "I really don't think that's a good idea."

Izuku poked his head out from the blankets, allowing them to drape around his shoulders. His hair was even more messy and curly than its usual craziness. He glared at Shouto, bottom lip stuck out in a pout, ready to object. Shouto brought his hand up, silencing Izuku before he could speak, and pushed the green haired boy's bangs back, lightly scratching his scalp in the process. It was pleasant, but Izuku could only freeze in shock at the unexpected touch.

"Soft.." he whispered to himself, his mouth in a slight frown as he felt Izuku's hair between his pale fingers and against his cold palm. He combed through the dark green strands, seemingly fascinated with the soft texture and thickness.

"Wha.. What are you doing?" Izuku blushed, looking up at Shouto's face. He enjoyed the feeling of his hand in his hair, but couldn't understand 𝘸𝘩𝘺 Shouto was touching him in the first place.

"Nothing. Listen, it's not safe for you to be out working," Shouto lifted his hand away and flicked Izuku's forehead hard, causing him to flinch back in pain, "The mark of the land god is bestowed upon a young man like you. Bright and clear on your forehead. It's like you're just 𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 to be eaten by wandering yokai."

Izuku rubbed his stinging forehead, "Why don't you come with me then? Since I don't really know how to defend myself against yokai just yet."

"No," Shouto said, looking away from Izuku quickly and glared at nothing in particular, "I need to stay here and tend to your shrine, now that I'm officially your familiar. But.. If you really have to go, I have an option for you."

He got up from the couch and left the room, but returned shortly with something in hand.

"You can hide the godly mark with this. Your hair does a little, but this will be more effective. As long as you're wearing it, no one will be able to tell you're a god."

"Momo used to use this to pull her hair back when washing her face," Shouto explained as he forced something over Izuku's head, "But I think it'll work just fine like this, too."

When Izuku waved goodbye, a bright red sweatband around his forehead and a shining smile on his face, Shouto stood in the doorway in a state of panic. His heart was racing and his chest hurt, and something about the shrine felt significantly colder without Izuku in it. Despite his internal struggle, to a stranger he may have looked only mildly disgusted.

Tsuyu and Ochako appeared behind him, Tsuyu petting his bicolored tail affectionately. They knew him well, and by the small grimace on his face they could tell he was troubled.

"It's okay, Master Shouto," She croaked, "He'll come back. Izuku-sama is not Momo-sama."