Years into the future...
The Kazama residence glowed with radiant heat from within the house which was radiating from its chimney.
Crystalline flakes of snow drifted past the windowpanes. A towering Christmas tree stood in the corner, its branches covered in hand-painted ornaments and small decorations. Under the tree, a pile of wrapped gifts and parcels awaited the coming Christmas morning.
In the sitting room, eight children occupied the space. Their ages spanned from two to ten years. Some reclined on the plush sofa while others claimed positions on floor cushions.
One young youth dangled inverted from a velvet armchair. Despite their varied hair colors, every child possessed striking violet-tinted eyes.
And there, Ryuu Kazama, now thirty years of age, occupied a high-backed seat near the flames. His pale yellow hair remained cropped close to his scalp.
He maintained a robust physique from his tenure as a pro hero. Since his transition from active duty last year, he focused his efforts on strategic coordination for upcoming heroes and bit of instructor work at UA high.
"~Daaaad, you gave your word," the eldest girl whined to Ryuu. Her pink-orange hair swayed as she bounced with restless energy. "We require a real hero STORY tonight."
"And please let it not be a lecture on tactical drills," an eight-year-old boy with charcoal hair added. "We want a story about your hero days, pleaseee."
"..."
Ryuu placed his mug of heated chocolate on a side table. "Hero days it is then....However, this story contains a vital lesson."
"Wha—"
"Nooo"
The older children expressed vocal disappointment. But the younger ones maintained their starstruck gaze on ryuu awaiting the upcoming tales about his golden days.
"What is the lesson?" a five-year-old girl with dark purple hair inquired.
"It's a lesson that ensured my survival so I could raise you little troublemakers," Ryuu replied. He leaned back into the cushions. "This occurred nine years ago. I was a little lad then. I had completed three years at the UA academy. I even held the professional rank of forty-seven."
"Wooow, that's a very good position, dad." a seven-year-old boy with sandy-colored hair remarked.
"Well...yes, It was adequate, though not within the top ten," Ryuu stated. His expression became solemn. "I performed field operations then. This specific encounter was my most difficult individual engagement."
"An individual engagement?" The ten-year-old girl widened her eyes. "But dad...your ability involves the amplification of others."
"Yes it does. But during that period, I discovered I could function independently." Ryuu lifted his palm. A luminous purple glow appeared for one second. "Occasionally, independence is a necessity."
The light dissipated. The children watched with intent.
"What occurred next?" a four-year-old boy holding a plush rabbit asked.
Ryuu settled deeper into his chair. "It was the night of December 24th, nine years ago. We were at the UA dormitories for a celebration."
He showed a brief smile. "Your mothers were present there too"
"It was a night I had —"
***
### NINE YEARS AGO: DECEMBER 24TH, 6:47 PM
### UA DORMITORIES: COMMON AREA
The common area was crowded. Strands of multicolored lights hung from the ceiling. A tree stood in the corner with gifts positioned underneath.
The members of Class 3-A were engaged in laughter and conversation. Eri sat on the sofa while she held a red apple. "Is this for the Easter holiday?" she asked Midoriya.
Midoriya smiled gently. "No, Eri. This is for Christmas. There's a man named Santa who delivers presents to good kids all over the world, and guess what?"
Eri tilted her head, her expression clouded with visible confusion over this "Santa" fella. A heavy silence fell between them as she stared intensely at the apple, her brow furrowed in deep thought.
"..."
Deku could see the gears turning in her head, with the hesitation he knew so well visible on her face. So he leaned in to meet her gaze, his voice soft. "Eri? It's okay. What is it that's bothering you?"
Eri's eyes flickered with a slight glimmer of worry. She gripped the apple a little tighter, her words coming out small and careful.
"Um... Deku-san? If the Santa-man is the one who brings things to the good children... is he the same person who hid the eggs in the garden? I want to be a very good girl, so..."
She looked up at him, her voice barely a whisper. "Should I give him this apple and say 'Trick or Treat' so he doesn't get angry? I don't want to forget the rules."
Midoriya couldn't help but let out a soft laugh at what she, his laughter was the kind that brought warmth to Eri. He reached out, gently ruffling the hair near her small horn.
"No, Eri. It's not a trick, I promise," he chuckled, his voice dropping into a comforting, whisper like he's sharing juicy secret to Eri. "You don't have to give him your apple. Santa is a hero who only wants to see you happy. And since you've been such a good girl..."
He paused, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. He was already thinking about the gift tucked away in his room. It was something he'd spent weeks picking out just for her, that he would "anonymously" leave under the tree later that night.
"I have a very strong feeling that Santa has something extra special planned for you this year. You don't need to worry about rules anymore. Just... look forward to tomorrow, okay?"
Eri's eyes widened slightly, the tension in her small shoulders were finally melting away at his words. She looked from the red apple in her hands back up to Midoriya's warm smile.
"A hero... who gives things for free?" she whispered, her voice filled with wonder. She didn't quite understand the mind of the man with a "delivery Quirk," but if Deku-san said it was okay, then it must be true.
A tiny, rare smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she hugged the apple to her chest. "Okay. I will keep the apple for now. And... I will tell the Santa-man 'thank you' in my head so he knows I am being good."
She paused, looking at him with earnest, shimmering eyes. "Thank you for teaching me the Christmas rules, Deku-san. I'll try my best to look forward to tomorrow."
Midoriya's heart swelled when he saw her smile. He then gave her a reassuring nod.
"That's a wonderful idea, Eri. I'm sure he'll hear you," his smile widening as he stood up to join the rest of the class, though he kept his eyes on her for a moment longer.
"You don't have to 'try' your best to be happy, okay? Just let it happen. Tonight, you can just sleep peacefully."
He gave her a playful wink, a rare, confident gesture from him, before turning back to the chaotic laughter of Class 3-A, feeling a surge of excitement to see her face when she finally found the red boots.
Somewhere else, here stands Ryuu, aged eighteen, he was near the perimeter wall. His tactical gear was dark blue and silver. He wore fingerless gloves to facilitate physical contact.
He observed the room . His Resonance ability allowed him to perceive the emotions of others. He felt the collective joy of the party and the lingering stress from recent training sessions.
This event occurred after the Joint Training Arc. The students rested before their upcoming internships. Security measures were strict due to threats from the League.
Ryuu's communication device vibrated. He received messages from his classmates.
**Mina:** The celebration is excellent. Do not remain stationary by the wall.
**Momo:** I have prepared additional snacks. Please assist with the distribution.
**Ochaco:** Ryuu, consume the cookies. I utilized my ability to float the dough during preparation.
He typed a response. "I will assist."
Suddenly, he perceived a change. He felt a wave of confusion from several students. This was followed by a state of unnatural calm.