章 5: 5
Aizawa's POV
It was a long two days. It was hard to believe that my problem children were actually alive but if it was even remotely true I had to do everything I could to bring them back. Who could have known that my two worst problems in life could actually mean so much to me?
I already had Mrs. Bakugo under heavy surveillance but I was more than willing to up the workload. I even pulled Midnight into it. She was more than willing to watch the woman burn for hurting our students. She played nice and went out with her and her friends nearly everyday anyway, attaching different microphones to her coat or purse if she had a different one than usual. There were so many shoes with tracking devices attached I have no idea how she did it.
Today is the day and I can't help thinking about how I would get the letter this time. Would they send the same kid? There was something so terribly familiar about the blue skinned boy it was just plain wrong that I didn't know his name. Why would someone choose to endanger a child with that kind of sensitive information?
Unless they weren't? Where was the sender? Was I being watched the whole time? Now that I think about it, it makes sense. They found a kid who probably offered him some candy or something to deliver the envelope and watched from a safe distance. But the question remained; how would I get the letter this time? Will being at the school gate be fine?
I'll just wait until the same time today and slowly walk to the café down the street. There is a park between here and there, not the same one the explosion happened in, so that should give them plenty of time to get it to me.
I look up and see the class working diligently on the test I gave them. Mrs. Midoriya doesn't stay for the test, she doesn't want to distract the students any more than she already has. She also told me she wouldn't be in for the rest of the week, but she would stop by tomorrow around lunch. Something about work and preparing for the party.
I'm more than slightly worried for her health. Unless she is in our classroom she pretends that her son is still perfectly alive and happy. I have even heard her talk about how she is so proud that he finally asked out his Kacchan. He is family now after all. I attached a microphone to her purse and some trackers to her shoes just in case though. She was at work when I heard her sobbing apparently all alone asking why God was so cruel to her.
I shake the thought from my head as the final bell rang. My students turned in their papers and set up the TV. We watched our heroes again and I can't help the feeling of helplessness that surrounds me as I start to feel lost again. I feel my hands clench as I try to take a deep breath. I slide the drawer open and see the envelope. I burned the letter so that no one would be able to find it but the envelope was safe. It only had my hero name on it.
The video ended and my class picked up the room again and we all cleaned our faces. The teachers were the first to leave and I'm shocked when I see Vlad King, class B's teacher, standing at the doorway when All Might opens the door.
"What?" My voice was tense. We were not very friendly before my students died and after... We had the kind of words that shouldn't be repeated. Words, blows; same thing, right?
My class silently left not even acknowledging the teacher as they walked by. They had the unfortunate privilege of seeing me lose it during that 'conversation' and ever since none of them have so much as looked at him. More than once I have found my favorite coffee sitting on my desk with class A written on it. The first time we started class we watched the video. Now they come in early enough to set up the TV and hit play before the first bell even rings.
I looked up from my desk putting the test papers aside to grade when I came back, knowing that I would be extremely surprised if any of them got even one question wrong. They truly have come a long way. I stand up and follow as my last student exits the room, closing the door securely behind me.
"Look," Vlad sighed, was he actually sad? What the hell does he have to be sad about? "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. I should never have said any of those things about your students. Even if they would have..." He froze, unable to complete his worthless sentence. Yes it was worthless, Nezu must have lectured him and sent him to me after.
"..." I didn't answer him and instead turned away going to the teachers lounge with him following me. I open the door to find my husband sitting at his own desk grading papers.
"Hizashi? I'm going to grab a coffee, would you like one of your usual?" I continued to ignore the teacher behind me as I talked to my husband.
"Did you want me to go with you?" He looked up, a ghost of a smile on his face now. This is the first time I have done anything outside of work at all. Either he or my students brought me my coffee or I just poured a cup here in the lounge.
I shake my head now frowning slightly, "I just need to stretch a bit. I'll be right back." I saw his face droop before I added, "Tomorrow, let's go somewhere tomorrow and we can sit down for a little while?" I've been the world's worst husband spending all my time either working or moping. I need to let him know I still love him more than the world. He has been by far the best husband in the world through all of this.
I watched his face light up and that ghost of a smile was back. Those two boys had a huge impact on everyone around them. I step inside and actually kiss him, something I have never done on school grounds before. I sighed before laying my head against his just, basking in his presence, the feel of him being near me. "I love you and I'm so sorry."
He wrapped me in a gentle hug and held me where he was, still sitting in his seat with me standing by his side. "Hey? I love you too. It's okay, it will take time, a lot of time. Do you understand?" I nodded at his words and a smile tugged at my lips for the first time in months. I kissed his forehead again before pulling away again and leaving.
"How long are you going to ignore me?" Vlad questions as I made it to the door and I narrowed my eyes.
Husband to the rescue; "Vlad I think you and I need to have a talk now." I walked out of the room and when Vlad tried to follow he was grabbed by the arm in a death like grip. I could hear him hiss in pain even as I walked away. If I don't leave now I might miss the letter.
***
I left the school scanning the area carefully as I walked to the café. I was almost there and starting to think I was crazy when I reached the door and a little kid with green hair, soft brown skin and red eyes ran into me.
"Hey mister, pretend you know me," I heard him hiss as he jumped up trying to hug me. Confused but not shocked I did as he asked, pulling him into the hug and pretending that he was family or something.
We went inside and he pointed at a booth in the back claiming in a sugary sweet voice that just didn't suit him at all, that he wanted to sit there so we could 'watch for villains'. I chuckled as if I was playing along with him and we made our order and sat down to wait. Once our drinks were delivered; my coffee and his hot cocoa and a small plate of sweets were placed between us.
Neither of us touched the sweets and instead sipped on our drinks. After a few moments of looking around he seemed to sigh as if the hard work was done.
"It's about fucking time you showed up. I was about to leave," The kid groaned, still hiding his face behind his mug. Somehow the new angry tone of voice and cursing seemed to suit him much better than the cheerful kid he was pretending to be.
"You know kids shouldn't talk like that?" I asked, but otherwise ignoring it.
"Yeah yeah, but I'm not actually a kid. How could we trust a kid with this kind of information?" He raised an eyebrow at me, making me freeze for just a second.
"Then how?" I blinked before turning away scanning the area to make sure no one was listening.
"A quirk of course." The small child hummed. "What I would give for a good cup of coffee right now." He shook his head when I lifted my cup in response. "Have to stay in character."
I nodded, whoever this kid was, he took his job seriously. I waited as he sipped on his cocoa. I studied him closely trying to memorize everything about him just in case. His green hair was spiked and his skin was a pale brown that somehow left little remarkable about him. In fact if not for his mannerisms and the way he talked I would have 100% believed he was a normal child.
"The kid the other day? The one with blue skin?" I asked, leaving my question silent knowing he would understand. He froze and cursed under his breath.
"Do not look for him. He is working undercover at the League to get as much information as possible. If you see him regardless of age pretend you don't know him. He is my partner," The kid growled his eyes narrowed, hostility shining bright in his eyes. I nodded in agreement. So they are heroes then?
"What do I call you? Either of you?" I asked, looking up to see Vlad King standing just outside the entrance of the café. I cursed and the boy followed my gaze.
"Pretend to be cheering me up," he hissed before he started rubbing at his eyes and I swear his face was covered in tears in an instant. I patted him on the back and hushed him before pulling him into my lap to cradle. Vlad saw me at this point but with the crying child in my lap he froze before turning away and leaving again.
"He's gone. I mumbled and he nodded before wrapping his arms around my neck sniffling still before smiling up at me, tears still flowing silently.
"Thank you Uncle, I understand I can't keep you from fighting villains but please promise to be careful?" For the sake of my sanity, is this kid an actor? I noticed all the attention we had gotten in the café and saw why he was acting like this.
I give a small smile and wipe away his tears, shocking the boy who leaned into my touch. I don't think that was an act. He is not used to being cared for. If I had to guess I would say he was probably beaten for most of his life. "Of course Tenya," it took everything I had to not laugh at the name I picked for him. If I didn't know any better I would say he knew where the name came from.
I dried his tears and he made a slight face at the sweets on the table before picking one up. It would be weird if such a small child refused the treats.
"The quirk will be wearing off soon so I need to leave. The letter you're waiting for is in your right pocket and it has the proof inside. The boys are having trouble staying hidden so we need to make this as fast as possible," his voice was low and fast trying to get out all the information he could as quickly as he could while still on my lap.
"Are you hurting them or helping them?" I asked my words barely making a sound.
He froze for what seemed like several minutes, his eyes scanning the café before leaning in as if to tell me a secret, "My name is..." My eyes flew open as if I had been shot. As I looked at the boy sitting in my lap. I pulled him in, squeezing him tightly.
"The other boy?" My words were barely a breath but he heard it nodding only slightly. I could see worry clouding his eyes. Is he regretting telling me, already?
"Uncle, will you carry me home please? I'm so tired." He yawned and rubbed at his eyes as if it was past his nap time. Suddenly I saw the dark eye bags under his eyes that no amount of makeup could erase. Just how tired is he?
"Nothing would make me happier," I smiled for the first time in months and picked the boy up and carried him to the counter. I placed an order to pick up in a couple hours and for the sweets to be packaged to take home with us.
"Can you get us two guest passes for UA? My sister and I would like to come see the class if we can tomorrow," he mumbled into my ear so that the lady at the counter couldn't hear him.
"Of course, let me just send my husband a text," I ignored his grin as I sent the message. Hizashi was more than a little confused, I'm sure but he said he would meet me at the school gate in 10 minutes.
When we arrived I hissed low enough that he barely heard me at all, "Pretend you've known the kid forever."
"Zumi! How are you, little listener?" He boomed happily. The boy huffed and hissed that it was better than fucking Tenya which caught Hizashi by surprize.
"Hurry up, I have to get back soon if we are going to be able to come tomorrow!" He was practically growling and I gave a wide smile that shocked my husband.
"You're the one that said you had to stay in character," I hummed, enjoying this far too much when he scowled at me.
"It's still dangerous to be seen with you out in the open like this. I should have just met you at the park or something," he grumbled.
This caught my husband's attention and he whispered, "Are you in trouble little listener? We are pro heroes, we can help if you need us to."
The green haired boy glared at me with his ruby red eyes, "This mission is highly classified you can't tell even him. Do you understand?"
"Classified by who?" I narrowed my eyes while plastering a large smile on my face in case anyone was looking. He seemed to think about it for a minute, weighing the pros and the cons of answering my question and my husband was now laughing loudly as if he had said a joke. It was forced but it could be reasoned that we were still grieving and trying not to concern the boy.
"Level 3 security clearance is required for that kind of information," getting my attention. Only the top 25 it so heroes and a few select teachers at UA had clearance that high, myself included. Unfortunately Hizashi was still only a level 5 but we were expecting him to be upgraded at the end of the year Hero Gala. The lower the number the higher security it was.
"Understood," Hizashi nodded his words low before he seemed to turn to me and loudly add, "When you're done I'll probably still be grading papers." I nodded my head understanding, before he cheerfully waved at the boy and we all walked away from each other, me still carrying the boy.
He whispered an address in my ear before laying his head against my shoulder. The two visitors pass in my pocket with the still sealed letter. I arrived at the address almost 30 minutes later, waking the boy up while we were still on the street. He was starting to get heavier.
"Shit!" he cursed while looking down and jumping from my arms and running to the door, he turned briefly and waved for me to follow him. So I did.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット