Chapter Text
Gone are the days when you could be a hero without a quirk. But just because you’re quirkless, doesn’t mean you’re useless. You were never cut out to be a hero, but you’d be damned if that stopped you from doing your part to make the world a little better, a little more just. That was why you’d accepted a part-time teaching position in the support course at UA.
You pause just in front of the gate, first-day nerves getting the better of you as the impressive main building looms above. With a deep breath, you strengthen your resolve. But before you can take a step, a deep voice cuts you off, so suddenly and so close that it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
“Are you going to go in, or are you just going to stand there all day?” Cautiously, you turn to face the speaker. His long black hair partially obscures his face, as does an enormous gray scarf. You peer up into eyes colder and blacker than night.
“Just a bit nervous, is all. This is my first time teaching.”
“Hmph. I suppose I should welcome you to the staff or something. So welcome.”
“You teach here?” A note of shock slips into your voice. Between the unkempt hair, the scraggly stubble, and the casual clothes, he looked rather unprofessional. In fact, he looked more like a pickpocket than a teacher of heroes. He grunted. You recomposed your features into a small smile and introduced yourself.
“Aizawa Shouta.” He ignores your outstretched hand and strides onto campus without another word. After a moment’s pause, you follow, wondering what you’d done wrong.
***
Come lunch hour, you had settled in somewhat. Your morning class had gone well; the future looked bright with such innovative students. What’s more, you’d only gotten lost once while looking for your office, and you got on well enough with your office neighbors. Now you sat in the teacher’s lounge, preparing your afternoon lecture over a bento box.
“Everybody say ‘hey’ to the new kid!” someone booms as they enter the lounge. You could almost hear ringing in your ears, but you plaster what you hope is a pleasant smile on your face as you turn around. The speaker, a man wearing sunglasses indoors, had already made his way to you and had his arm around your shoulders before you knew what was happening. No one else in the lounge was paying him any attention.
“New kid? What are we, in high school?”
The man laughs. “Of course we are! Now we’re just on the other side of it.” He claps you hard on the back before seating himself opposite you. “Yamada Hizashi, perhaps better known as Present Mic. Pleased you make your acquaintance.”
You introduce yourself and take his offered hand. He just about shakes your shoulder out of its socket before diving into his lunch. To be polite to your colleague, you quickly stash your lecture notes in your bag.
“I listen to your radio show on Fridays. It’s good company while I’m working on designs and prototypes.” Yamada beams at this and launches into a lengthy discussion about sound equipment.
He is interrupted by a heavy thump. When you turn around, you see Aizawa sprawled on the floor in a yellow sleeping bag.
“Are you okay?” You jump from your seat and move to approach him.
“Don’t worry about him.” Yamada catches your wrist and gently but firmly pulls you back to the table. “He does that all the time. Eraser Head, have you met our newest support teacher?”
“Yup.” Aizawa pulls out a juice pouch and starts sipping from it. He does not greet you or make further comment, but he maintains unblinking eye contact with you. Your concerned gaze lingers on him a moment longer.
“If you’re really sure…” Aizawa nods curtly, still not blinking. You turn back to Yamada, who is already engrossed in his one-sided conversation again. You do your best to listen, but you can’t shake the feeling of hard eyes boring into your back.