Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Before you leave, my dudes! I need to tell you something!" Present Mic said with a much more serious tone than ever used before.

“What is it, Mic-sensei?!” Iida asked, making chopping movements with his arms.

“You – all of you – are not allowed to cry in front of Aizawa. Ever. Got it?” Present Mic stated, staring down the entire class simultaneously...somehow. “Got it?”

“Yes, sir!” the class chimed in unison. Present Mic nodded his approval.

As the class made its way to the cafeteria, they tried to puzzle it out.

“Maybe it’s because crying isn’t logical or something?” Uraraka offered. The others nodded, it was what made the most sense.

Bakugou seemed to grit his teeth for a second there. Midoriya did a double take, but whatever It was week later when shit hit the fan.

Remembering what Present Mic had said the week before, Midoriya was trying not to cry. He wasn’t even sure what he was upset by, he just was. Midoriya struggled to pay attention, even going as far repeating what Cementoss was saying about literature.

“What the hell are you doing, Deku?” Bakugou snapped at the green head. That was it. It wasn’t unusual for Bakugou, but today. Today, it was too much.

It started with tears rolling down his cheeks. All too soon Midoriya couldn’t breathe, sobbing and choking at the same time don’t help the trying to breathe part. Hyperventilating, Midoriya struggled to take deep breaths; it only seemed to get worse. He started to feel the dread and the shame of not getting a handle on it. He should have a handle on it, right? That’s what he was supposed to do. And it just wasn’t working.

Everything went fuzzy. He wasn’t sure if it was from tears or lack of oxygen. Midoriya was trying so hard to pull himself out of anxiety attack, he wasn’t aware of Aizawa kicking the door open. And coming to his desk, in a solid voice, Aizawa said, “Midoriya.”

Midoriya vaguely felt a hand on his shoulder, automatically leaning into it. Aizawa rubbed circles into Midoriya’s back and spoke low but comfortingly. Midoriya turned, pressing into the familiar smell and hugging the body it belonged to.

“Midoriya?” Aizawa asked, shocked by the sudden hug, but quickly wrapped his arms over his student’s shoulder.

The only answer that came from Midoriya was a muffled sob and panting.

It was a few minutes after this that Midoriya pulled himself somewhat back together enough to not be clinging onto his teacher, but wasn’t any better for the fog in his head. Or the feeling of possibly tipping over the edge and starting to cry again.

Aizawa pulled him out of the class and took him to the teacher’s lounge. It was there that Present Mic and Toshinori found them: Aizawa on the floor in his sleeping bag and Midoriya passed out cold on top of him.

“Well, Yagi, looks you’re going to have to fight Aizawa over the custody of Midoriya now,” Hizashi commented, smiling at the scene. Toshinori sent Hizashi a slightly confused look before it clicked.

Chapter Text

Aizawa had a lot of hiding places. Some were in the rafters, some were in closets, and even more were elsewhere. But they were hiding places for a reason. They were supposed to where Aizawa could get away from the mania and have a nap and a snack. Though he only went back to his apartment from time to time, Aizawa had made what was basically a bedroom in one of the supply closets.

That’s what they were until the Hell Class came around. Then he kept finding his students in them. All upset or sleeping with tears tracks on their faces. Hell Class is going to kill him from stress one of these days. Ugh.

Though seriously, how did Ashido even get here?

Aizawa hung onto his capture weapon as he studied his pink colored student. Even though she was asleep, Ashido looked distressed and Aizawa could see the tear stains on her cheeks. Carefully, Aizawa sat in the end of the hammock that was strung up to the ceiling of 1-A’s classroom.

“Ashido?” Aizawa spoke softly, touching his student’s shoulder gently. Who are you kidding? Student – Aizawa cut that train of thoughts off. He has not adopted any of them. Really.

Ashido moaned slightly in her sleep, digging her face deeper into the pillow. The action drew Aizawa’s attention to her hand near her face and the wet spots on the pillow.

Aizawa cleared his throat loudly and shook Ashido’s shoulder once again. This time, he got a reaction out of her. Ashido slowly blinked, rolling onto her back and yawning. Finally noticing that she wasn’t alone, Ashido gasped.

“M-mister Aizawa!” Ashido exclaimed, bolting upward and starting to ramble about something. Aizawa lifted up his hand to silence her.

“What happened?”

Ashido froze, obviously not expecting Aizawa to say that.

“W-what?”

Aizawa leveled a concerned look at the girl. “You’re in one of my spots and you’ve been crying. What happened?”

Ashido gulped. “Oh, its…uh –“ Ashido choked on a sob as she started crying again. Unsure on what to do with a crying teenager – why did he always end up in these situations, like come on Hizashi was better with this and despite what Hizashi says, he doesn’t adopt every sad child, he doesn’t – Aizawa set his hand on her back and started rubbing a circle. Ashido leaned into the comfort, going as far as to be leaning on his chest in a halfway hug.

“My c-cat died,” Ashido mumbled into his chest.

Aizawa’s heart panged, he could understand how upset she was. Losing a pet was hard. Hell if Aizawa lost one of his cats he’d turn into a sobbing mess, too. Well, maybe not a sobbing mess, but he’d devour several containers of ice cream while watching the Aristocats.

The half-way hug turned into a full on hug as Aizawa wrapped his arms around the usually bubbly girl. He doesn’t have a problem. He doesn’t.

---

The next person that Aizawa denies adopting is Tokoyami, surprisingly enough. None of the teachers won that bet. Not that any of the teachers let Aizawa know about the bet.

It was late in the night at Dorm 1-A this time. No one else was up. At least, that was what Tokoyami had thought. He was sitting in the common room with a light on and sipping a hot chocolate made with milk that Midoriya had showed him how to make a few days back.

He hadn’t expected for Aizawa to be awake or to sit down next to him, let alone ask, “Why are you awake?”

Now, how was he supposed to answer that? Just straight out say it?

Probably.

“Nightmares,” Tokoyami said, barely loud enough to hear, but loud enough apparently because Aizawa nodded.

“About?” Aizawa asked.

Tokoyami swallowed, thinking of his nightmares. Most of them were from the training camp and Kamino Ward, though a few were from the attack at the USJ.

As if knowing what was going through his head, Aizawa assured, “You don’t have to anything if you don’t want to.”

Tokoyami nodded. “It’s mainly from the camp.” Aizawa just raised an eyebrow. “I lost control…and now, I’ve been having trouble sleeping.”

“You’re afraid of losing control again?”

Tokoyami nodded.

“I can’t sleep with a light on and I don’t feel comfortable with turning it off,” Tokoyami whispered. He wasn’t why he whispered, he just did. “I could’ve hurt my friends so badly when I lost control. It –“

Tokoyami had to stop, a lump in his throat preventing him from continuing. Aizawa seemed to understand either way.

“How do I get that back?” Tokoyami’s voice was barely audible.

“You train and learn to trust yourself again.”

Tokoyami couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. Not enough sleep topped by finally telling someone...the dam finally burst. It was as if a weight had moved off his chest. It actually felt good to cry, something Tokoyami never thought would happen. Maybe it was because Aizawa had his arm wrapped around him. Maybe the comfort from Aizawa being there was  what made it good.

Then again, Tokoyami never expected comfort from Aizawa.

But he wasn’t going to reject it.

Chapter Text

Okay, maybe Satou had been feeling a little – a lot – down. His dad and him were always baking and cooking together. It was their time, you know, when his dad got off of work and Satou was done with his homework. It was the only time they got to spend together when his dad was working.

And maybe on top of that, it was homesickness.

Whatever Satou was feeling at the moment, it sucked. He hated the feeling. He was staring into space while time ticked away when he should be doing homework, or just something constructive. Satou wanted to do something , but nothing that came to mind.

And then there was why he was awake in the first place…

With that in mind, Satou wandered down to the common. He wasn’t even sure what time it was – , he hadn’t grabbed his phone on the way out of the room – so it was still on his bed. Noting the light on in the kitchen, Satou headed in that direction.

Satou expected Midoriya or Tokoyami, maybe even Todoroki. He’s seen all of them in the kitchen at odd times of night.

He hadn’t thought his teacher would be there.

Aizawa was sitting at the table grading something and sipping on a mug, probably containing coffee. Satou’s attention slid past his teacher and towards the Kitchen Aid mixer bowl. Walking past Aizawa and to the cupboards, Satou dug around for the ingredients he wanted. Satou had figured out what he wanted to do – bake, but not what to make.

Great, another dilemma .

Absentmindedly, Satou could feel his teacher’s gaze on his back, but all his mind was focused on was what he could make. Satou didn’t feel like making any of the desserts that his memory was offering.

Satou winced, he knew what one he wanted to make, but it was his and his dad’s thing. The one thing they’d make, the one thing they had time for, whether it was early in the morning or late at night.

Again, another dilemma. Especially since Satou had collected all of the ingredients for that dessert.

“What are you doing up at this time?” Aizawa asked.

Satou jumped and looked at his teacher. He had completely zoned out.

“Uh, midnight snack?” Satou had meant it to be a statement, he glanced over at the clock. How fitting, it was 12am on the dot too.

Aizawa raised his eyebrow. Satou wasn’t looking at his teacher, but past him. Satou sucked in a breath, tears wanting to escape. Satou shook his head, trying to avoid thinking about it.

“What is it?” Aizawa questioned softly.

Satou’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

“What is it that you’re going to have for your snack?” Aizawa elaborated.

“Oh…uh, I haven’t figured it out yet,” Satou mumbled the last bit. Aizawa hummed and got up, Satou watched him curiously. Aizawa opened the fridge door and pulled out a tupperware container.

Grabbing two spoons from the drawer, Aizawa passed the bowl and a spoon to a rather confused Satou. Aizawa removed the lid to show cookie dough. Specifically, chocolate chip cookie dough. The best comfort food, if you asked Satou. Second only to maybe boiled chocolate cookies and Swiss chocolate, in Satou’s opinion.

Aizawa took a spoonful of the dough and ate it. Satou didn’t move, still staring at the adult. Aizawa gestured to the bowl. “Have some, just don’t tell anyone that I shared my cookie dough with you.”

Satou nodded and took a bite off of his spoon. Eventually, the two sat across from each other at the table and Aizawa resumed grading something. Satou curled up in the chair and continued to eat the cookie dough.

Satou figured that they were quite the sight, an adult slouching with his hair tied back in a bun and eyebags for weeks and large teen curled up in a chair, both sitting at the dinner table both taking spoonfuls of cookie dough.

After a while, the clockread 12:30am. Aizawa spoke up again.

“What woke you up?”

The silence in Satou’s head was disrupted, the nightmare coming back full force, sending Satou into a coughing fit. Aizawa patted Satou on the back while he struggled to get back his breath. The thought of the nightmare made the pressure behind his eyes come back.

“It was a nightmare,” Satou said, barely above a whisper. Satou blinked quickly, far too rapid for the time that it was. “USJ again. Thirteen and you…”

Aizawa nodded in understanding, not needing more, Satou’s few words were enough to get the gist without the details. He offered the bowl of dough again as Satou pillowed his head on his knees and started to cry.

~~

Somewhere, Aizawa was sure, Nezu was laughing.

Probably finally winning the reorganized bet about his children, the ‘who would Aizawa adopt next’ bet. Last time no one won because no one had bet on Tokoyami. Nezu had gotten back into the groove with betting on Satou and last he heard also Aoyama and Jirou.

Silently, Aizawa cursed the principal in his head for being right. Aoyama was the next one.

Aizawa was barely hanging onto his denial of adopting any sad child he saw. He didn’t adopt any of his students. Really. Plus, Toshinori was way worse about it.

Thinking of Toshinori reminded Aizawa to ask him about those pictures.

Anyway, back to the present. Back to why the hell his son Yuuga was crying on the floor of the kitchen at a godforsaken hour of the night. Seriously, could any of his kids actually sleep at appropriate times, like during the night when they’re supposed to?!

Aizawa had noted that Aoyama wasn’t as attentive in class as usual and figured it was a bad day, but crying on the floor wasn’t just a bad day. It was more like the end of your rope at the end of a bad week or – God forbid – month.

Aizawa had hope that they’d have a night of peace when he got back from his patrol without the worry of one of his children crying .

Ever since helping Midoriya out of an attack, his students had become more comfortable around him and had started asking him for advice on personal things. Midoriya occasionally looked for Aizawa when he wasn’t sleeping well and Ashido would visit his cats with him. Tokoyami and Satou had several occasions of midnight snacks and talks about random things or just watching TV when none of them could sleep.

Cautiously, Aizawa approached Aoyama. Aoyama looked up wide-eyed and tried to stop his sobs. Aizawa noted the phone in his hand was open and there was some sort of picture open up on there.

“What’s wrong, Aoyama?”

“N-nothing!” Aoyama was shaking. “I’m sorry, I know a should be in bed right now, but I just couldn’t sleep. Then I started to think about -”

Aoyama words turned into sobs.

“What’s wrong, Yuuga?” Aizawa spoke softly, but clearly. Calling on his first name might’ve been a dirty move, but it at least got a decent reaction. Said reaction being a sharp, but deep breath in.

Better than nothing.

“It-it’s nothing,” Aoyama gets out shakily. Aoyama pressed his eyes closed and sucked in a breath. “You know, just missing home and st-stuff like that.”

Sounded like only half of it, but it was a decent answer.

“What do you miss the most?” Aizawa asked, still crouching.

Aoyama whispered, staring into space and tears falling down his face. “The food, my parents, the country itself.” A harsh breath, Aoyama continued. “Homesickness. How fitting…”

Aoyama trailed off, tears renewed. Aizawa stood up and offered his hand to Aoyama. “You can keep going if you want, but I’m older than I used to be and can’t handle weird positions like that anymore.”

Aoyama stared up at the 30-year-old like he couldn’t believe that this was happening. Though, to be honest, Aizawa wasn’t sure what was happening either. It probably had to do with the lack of sleep. Yeah, that had to be it. Right?

Either way, Aizawa started digging through the cupboards and the fridge and set out what he was looking for. It wasn’t long before Aoyama started talking, about memories, places he loved, the food, and just France in general.

Aoyama only stopped when Aizawa set a plate in front of him. The plate had crepes on it. Aizawa gestured to the awaiting toppings that Aoyama could use.

Promptly, Aoyama started crying again and hugged Aizawa.

It seems like Aizawa would have to get used to hugs from his chil-erm- students .

Chapter Text

It all started that afternoon during lunch, the only teacher that wasn’t present was Aizawa – luckily for Nezu. Sitting on the couch, sipping on tea, Nezu put down his bet.

“Asui and Bakugou, today, both of them by the end of the school day.”

The whole room went stiff, the first to speak up was Hizashi.

“That’s quite the bet, very specific,” Hizashi commented. Nemuri picked up the money and stuck it in the bet pot and jotted down the bet.

“I know,” Nezu stated simply, smiling – well, it was more of a smirk. The teachers shivered and mourned their money, if he was so sure then he was probably right.

~

Aizawa cursed, this wasn’t the first time he’d found Asui in one of his spots. Each time had him more and more concerned. Was she having nightmares to? Was she stressing herself out to the point of exhaustion? If so, it should show up in her performance in class. Was it something to do with her family? Was it her studies? Something else?

He got three out of four of that right. Asui was having nightmares, the attack on the camp brought the memories of USJ back, she was stressed but because she wasn’t home to make sure that her younger siblings had enough to eat and proper lunches.

And currently, one of his favorite students – blunt and to the point – was sleeping in his transformed janitor closet. It had a bed, a bunch of blankets, and even snacks. It had been made in case he didn’t feel like going back to his apartment after school and could sleep there for the night or until it was time to patrol. There were reasons to why he was never late to class.

It was bad that Asui was having a crap time. Seeing her laying there clutching the pillow reminded that he needed to speak to Bakugou, him also acting odd that day.

Asui was curled into a ball, her expression distressed. Aizawa weighed his options, leaving like the times before, or waking her up. A small whimper made his choice for him. Aizawa kneeled on the bed and carefully shook her shoulder, trying to wake her.

“Aizawa,” Asui half-whimper and half-sobs out his name. Aizawa froze, she wasn’t awake so that must mean –

Shit. Shit, shit, shit, that means she’s having a nightmare that probably has to do with USJ or him getting hurt. Son of a freaking bitch, he hadn’t thought he’d get so attached to these kids, let alone them getting attached to him enough to have nightmares of him being hurt or something.

“Hey, kid, I’m here. We’re all good,” Aizawa offers, going from kneeling on the bed to sitting next to her and stroking her hair. “Asui, we’re both good.”

Asui leaned into his hand, sniffling. He was going to have to have a talk with her. Counseling for his entire class was looking more and more needed. They’re only kids, they shouldn’t have to deal with this crap already. Some many of them definitely have at least some minor PTSD and anxiety from the villain attacks. Yeah, counselling. And Bakugou needs some anger management. Damn, his kids were worrying.

But that was for later, right now, Aizawa needed to talk with Asui. Again, but firmer, Aizawa shook Asui’s shoulder. He only felt a little guilt since she was finally sleeping peacefully. Asui blinked open her eyes, once realizing that she was using him as a teddy bear her eyes widened but she didn’t make a move to remove herself.

“Mr. Aizawa?” Asui asked, sounding rather confused. Aizawa hummed an affirmative. If possible, her eyes widened even more. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, this is one of my places. It’s not like anyone else would have turned a closet into a mini bedroom.”

Asui nodded. Aizawa continued to stroke her hair lightly.

“You’ve been acting off. Care to share what’s wrong?”

Asui looked away from him, a strange looking frown forming on her face – it’s not supposed to be there his head screamed at him.

“I’ve been having nightmares about losing you, my friends, and my family. I couldn’t do enough to save them. On top of that, I’m worried about my siblings eating proper lunches every day. I don’t want to disappoint you again, after what happened with Midoriya, Kirishima, Iida, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, and Bakugou and I didn’t tell you what they were planning.” Asui’s hands tightened as she took in a deep breath. Aizawa hadn’t been expecting that. “And these internships have me worried about everyone, even though I know logically they will be fine, because they know how to survive. It’s just worrying, and I know I need to get used to this worry about their safety because we’re going to be heroes and this will be everyday life for us.”

Aizawa really appreciated her bluntness and just saying what she says, even though there is little tact to her words.

“You’re right about that becoming a hero, this worry is a constant thing. Originally, this wouldn’t have started until at least next year. How have you been sleeping?”

Are you freaking kidding? His tact is basically gone, non-existent.

“Terribly, I’ve been having nightmares about USJ and the attack on the camp. And losing you.” Asui’s voice cracked on the last word.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere, anytime soon.”

“I know, but it could still happen. If you aren’t allowed to expect us to try our best to both survive and do our jobs as heroes and not want the same in return.” There was a pause. “Don’t die.”

Asui closed her eyes and pressed closer to him. His voice barely loud enough to hear, but Aizawa knew she heard him. “I’ll try.”

He would. For them, he’d do anything. He’d prepare them as good as he possibly could and return the expectation to live, to survive. For them.

~~

Aizawa was sure Nezu was cackling in his office right now. Aizawa didn’t give a fuck though, he was pissed off. At one explosive blonde. Said blonde being passed out from dehydration, fractures in his forearms, and a fucking high fever.

Bakugou had gone to class the entire day with a high enough fever that he shouldn’t even be moving. 104 degrees. Bakugou and Midoriya, the two most destructive and uncaring for their bodies of his children, it was astounding that they hadn’t made a club just for their recklessness. Toshinori could join their stupid reckless asses in that club. It made him so angry. If it wasn’t for the fact that he loved them, Aizawa would probably have strangled them for their idiocy.

Aizawa ground his teeth. Why did he do something so stupid?! Bakugou was smart, he knew his limitations, why did he ignore them?

Clenching his fists, Aizawa took in a steading breath. It wasn’t going to help if he was worked. Bakugou knew his limits well, something else has to be going on. Today was a crap day apparently, two of his students are off from their usual thing.

Fuck.

There goes any actual nap.

Chiyo shot him a look as he ran a hand through his tangled mess of hair. Aizawa settled into the chair next to Bakugou. Any of his other classes were covered by Hizashi and Nemuri, so he didn’t have to worry about that at least.

Just this child. Why did he have to get attached to this class? Damn it anyway.

Hours pass before Bakugou even starts to wake up, Aizawa caught a few minutes of sleep between the times he sat down and Bakugou started to wake. Restlessly, Bakugou moved around, making enough noise to wake Aizawa.

Despite being awake, Aizawa made no moves to get up or open his eyes. It wasn’t long before Bakugou seemed to figure out where he was and tried to get up, only then did Aizawa open his eyes and that was to glare. Bakugou flinched at Aizawa’s sudden glare.

“You’re not going anywhere, Bakugou. You have a high fever,” Aizawa stated, his irritation not showing. He could hear concern leak into his words. Bakugou stopped trying to get up, surprisingly not objecting angrily. “Why didn’t you stay in the dorms?”

The boy clenched his jaw. “I can’t get any further behind.”

“Care to explain why you’ve been pushing yourself past your limits?”

“I can’t be the best without getting better,” Bakugou mumbled, scowling.

“Overworking yourself will do the opposite.” Aizawa had an inkling feeling that there was more to it then, just this.

“Whatever.”

Aizawa nearly, nearly ground his teeth. “It’s not whatever. If you overwork yourself you won’t get any better, only worse. You’ll fall behind worse. If you don’t get your head out of your ass and think, stop acting as self-destructive as Midoriya, I’ll put you on the sidelines.”

Bakugou flinched at his tone.

The blonde’s eyes snapped up and glared at Aizawa with a strange look in them. “I can’t get weaker! I know I’m weak. I can’t handle shit! I got kidnapped –“ Bakugou drug in a shuddering cough, tears cresting his cheeks. “I’m why All Might is retired. I don’t deserve to be here, after all the shit I put Deku through. I’m nowhere near hero material.”

Bakugou stared at the wall. Aizawa held in a sigh, it was so much more wrong than he had thought.

“You’re not weak. You’re one of the strongest students here. If you weren’t hero material, I would have expelled you long time ago.”

Bakugou let out a mocking laugh.

“I told Deku to kill himself. If that isn’t not hero material, then what isn’t. I bullied Deku. I treated him like crap, but he keeps coming back and forgiving me. As if I deserve it.”

Well, shit.

“I suggest talking to Midoriya about this and stop calling him ‘Deku’. If you want a better relationship with him. It’s not your choice whether or not someone forgives you, it’s up to the other person.”

“De –Izu –Midoriya and I aren’t good at talking. We never have been.”

“You can change that.”

Aizawa could practically hear the gears turning in his head, tears staining his cheeks as Bakugou drags in a breath. Sitting forward, studying Bakugou as he nod hesitantly, Aizawa set his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Get some rest. Sleep on it. Figure out what to do.”

Nodding again, Bakugou allowed his head to go limp and closed his eyes.

Aizawa is signing this kid up for some damn counselling sessions. And he needs to talk to Midoriya, it’d be better for the conversation to be monitored. He needed to find out when Bakugou had told Midoriya that. If Aizawa has his way, then he is not going to hinder Bakugou’s growth.

Chapter Text

Aizawa knew it was going to be a bad day when he ran out of coffee grounds, but he wasn't prepared for just how terrible it was going to be. It was a Saturday, Aizawa had to drag himself out of his apartment and down to the common room of 1-A Dorms for some constitution juice to survive the day.
It got so much worse when Koda has rushed in and looked so distressed, Aizawa swore it felt like his heart had been crushed. After that it was an hour before there was a knock on the door.

A slightly sheepish, but mostly worried looking Kirishima was on the other side. Nothing could've prepared Aizawa for his words, nothing else would've made him more so fast.
"Have you seen Koda's bunny? It's been missing since this morning."

Striding into the common floor, Aizawa had quickly surveyed the room and the occupants. Koda was siting on the couch, incredibly upset by the way his shoulders were trembling, and had his head in his hands.

"What's going on?"

"Koda's bunny went missing, we've been looking for her all morning and haven't seen anything," Uraraka offered up.

There was a muffled whine from Koda at her words.

"Koda, come with me," Aizawa ordered. Uraraka squeezed Koda's shoulder comfortingly and gave him space to get up. His damn kids were probably already knowing about what was going to happen.

Koda silently followed Aizawa to his apartment and didn't say a word. Seeing the tears on Koda's face nearly made Aizawa choke, but instead he picked up one of his cats and handed her to Koda.

"You can stay here for a while, everyone else can work on finding your bunny. I suggest sitting on the couch," Aizawa said, crossing the distance to his desk before Koda can join the group of children that have hugged him when in distress.

Koda followed his advice and sat on the couch, hounded by three other cats. All of them being very hug-a-bug-a cats and loving attention. At least, under their attention, Koda starts to relax.

Somewhere along the line, Koda's tears startup again and Aizawa ends up holding the boy in his arms and rubbing his back lightly.
When Kirishima, Shouji, Tokoyami, Uraraka, and Midoriya all show up with Koda's bunny in their arms, smiling with joy from reuniting Koda and his bunny, and from Koda joining their ranks.

~

After what went down with Bakugou, Aizawa made sure to be twice, if not thrilled, as vigilant to make sure none of his ki—students weren't pushing them too hard. That could've been the cause of him nearly panicking when he saw Kirishima act different from normal, full on panic had started to happen.

It did not subside even when he watched Kirishima with a carefully blank face. Nemuri and Hizashi were probably laughing that Aizawa was near half way through adopting the kids.

Everyone noticed Kirishima's change in mood, most of all Bakugou. Bakugou was glaring at his best friend furiously.

At the end of the lesson, Aizawa called Bakugou to the side.

Bakugou obliged, albeit reluctantly. The first thing Bakugou did was assure him that he was looking after himself properly. "I'm drinking enough water and not overusing my quirk."

Aizawa couldn't deny that he was happy that his student was abiding by his words. Aizawa gave a little nod to Bakugou. "What is going on with Kirishima?"

Bakugou, who had brightened up at Aizawa's nod, glowered. "He won't tell me what's up."

"Oh?"

Bakugou seemed to grind his teeth together. "Yeah, his pussyfooting around the issue and refuses to say what's it. I don't think it was to do with his family, but it could be that he hasn't re-dyed his hair recently."

Bakugou went silent, frowning, his concern evident. Aizawa noted that his lips quirked upwards.

"Are you going to adopt him next?"

What the —

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked cautiously. Bakugou grinned - well, mire like smirked.

"You adopt every sad child? Mic had mentioned that we weren't supposed to cry around you. A week before Deku cried and you whisked him away to some place," Bakugou stated. Curse it, Hizashi, did you have to tell them?

"What of it?"

"Just saying, Kirishima's mom will want you around for family dinners. Auntie Inko too." Bakugou gave him a half shrug. "Is that all?"

Aizawa nodded. He had to go talk to some irritating friends.

Hizashi hadn't denied telling the children a warning about crying in front of him, Nemuri laughed and Vlad King had looked like he was going to laugh.

Aizawa felt twice tired after talking to the two of them than before.

So, that his story and he’s sticking to it! And blaming exhaustion for doing what he did.

That being pulling Kirishima out of his room and into his office and sitting him down, staring down the boy too.

“What is happening?” Aizawa asked him, bluntly as possible. Being a mix of too damn tired to give a crap about no tack and too stressed to wait.

Kirishima looked down at his hands, which gripped the other hard enough that his quirk could’ve been activated. The long pause between his question and Kirishima’s too quiet to be heard answer is uncomfortable.

Aizawa just hummed questioningly. Kirishima seemed to gulp and take a deep breath.

“Uh, it’s, uh, just that my mom is, uh…she’s gotten sick lately,” Kirishima broke off, his voice cracking as tears seemed to force their way through. “Like really, really sick. She’s been in the hospital off and on…last night, she was…” Kirishima seemed to take a moment to steady his breath and hold off a sob. “She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition…she’s got pneumonia and her kidneys were failing.”

It was as if saying it aloud made Kirishima realize it was very much real, that what was happening with his mother and all the emotions to the news came rushing in. Loud sobs racked his body as he rocked in the chair, brushing away his tears only once he was breathing normally once more.

“I –“

“Go.”

Kirishima jerked, looking at Aizawa terrified.

“You’re clearly forcing yourself in school. Go see your mother. You’re not going to feel any better until you do. I’ll inform the other teachers that you’re not going to be here for the rest of your classes today,” Aizawa said lightly.

Kirishima’s eyes widened, jaw dropping. Aizawa held himself carefully, slightly worried that the boy would throw himself at Aizawa in a hug.

“Can – can I hug you, sir?”

Huh, the first to ask. Not all the surprising, he is very polite.

“Only if it’s short.”

Kirishima nodded.

True to his agreement, it lasted maybe 5 seconds and Kirishima was out of Aizawa’s office, door swinging shut quietly.

Finally, finally, Aizawa could deal. By dealing, he meant sleeping.

Chapter Text

Kaminari was having a shit day, if he was being honest. Most days he didn’t mind being the butt of the joke, but today…today it felt like everyone was laughing at him, not with him. It contributed to him feeling like utter crap and made his bad day worse.

As if he had questioned if the day could get any worse, it did. You never do that, it always becomes worse.

It was during the last class of the day. Training.

Kaminari was working on his charge, taking and pushing it out without going overboard. That didn’t work in the end, not after those words.

“Kaminari loves being the butt of a joke, don’t worry about it. It’s not like it really matters, even so,” someone – probably Mineta – said, scoffing at something. “It’s not like his brain can be better at anything other than that.”

Kaminari took in a deep breath, trying to hold back the welling tears. Trying to ignore how it felt hearing the words.

“Mineta! Don’t  you –“ someone started, but Kaminari short circuited. He didn’t want to hear anymore.

“You know, it’s really dangerous to do that,” a voice broke through the fog of Kaminari mind. Kaminari’s breathe caught as he tried to open his eyelids that felt as if they were being held down by a lead weight.

“’ha?” Kaminari managed to get out. Finally, finally, opening his eyes. The sight that met him was Aizawa looking more than a little bedraggled – definitely much more than usual. Why?

“Electrocution.”

Oh, that’s what you’re talking about.

Kaminari did a few more testing blinks.

“You were controlling it well. Why did you suddenly lose control?”

“’ho the hell cares?” Kaminari mumbled, looking away from his teacher. “I’m nothing more than the butt of the joke.”

Kaminari swore the tension that was created at those words could’ve been cut with a knife.

“What makes you say that?”

Kaminari let out a dry laugh. “I’m not good in academics or that spectacular in training. I struggle with controlling my quirk. My quirk hurts me. It’s not like I’m unreplaceable.”

Kaminari didn’t mean for that last part to come out.

“Kaminari, you are not just the butt of the joke and you are not replaceable. Your classmates care about you and your health. If something would happen to you, they would be upset. I would be upset,” Aizawa broke off. Kaminari looked up at his teacher. The expression on the underground hero’s face was enough for Kaminari’s tears to refuse to be held back.

“It doesn’t feel like that though!” Kaminari threw his arm over his eyes just so he wouldn’t have to see the look on Aizawa’s face.

“I know how it can feel like that sometimes, but we care about you. And we care a hell of a lot, Denki.”

Kaminari sucked in a sharp breath and turned towards Aizawa. As if sensing it – of course he did, Aizawa has dad sense after all – Aizawa set his hand on Kaminari’s and squeezed comfortingly, not saying a word as Kaminari cried all he could cry.

“Just so you know, I’m signing you up for therapy sessions,” Aizawa pointed out gruffly. Kaminari nodded. He probably – most definitely – needed some of those sessions.

~

When Kaminari hit the ground in training, Sero could admit – in the security of his own mind – that he was freaking out. Especially with what Mineta had said just before that. Bakugou was yelling at Mineta with Ashido by his side, glares matching. Sero was picking up his friend’s lifeless body as Aizawa tells him to take Kaminari to Recovery Girl.

Going quickly through the hallways to the nurse’s office – knowing the way far too well – Sero tried to ignore his pressing worries, shoving them back to the back of his mind. His friends seemed to end up in the infirmary too damn much for Sero to be happy with. Being in the Hero Class was dangerous and Sero accepted that, but he wished his friends and, especially Midoriya, Bakugou, and Kaminari, wouldn’t visit it so damn often.

“What happened now?” Recovery Girl asked, not even surprised it was 1-A students coming into her office.

“He electrocuted himself really badly during training,” Sero explained. Recovery Girl nodded and gestured to the bed.

The nurse shooed Sero back to class, saying that Kaminari would be fine and there was still class left to attend.

Even so, Sero couldn’t focus back onto the lesson. Questions circled his head, obnoxiously commenting on Kaminari fainting, reminding him of Bakugou being kidnapped, continuing in that direction the rest of class.

“What’s wrong, Hanta?” Ashido asked, as the Bakusquad joined at the doorjamb of the gym.

Before Sero could respond –

“Sero, stay back.”

Ashido and Kirishima gave him worried looks, Bakugou had his own – not that it was easily readable to anyone that didn’t know him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch up.”

Kirishim and Ashido nodded, Bakugou grumbling about why would he ever worry.

Sero walked back to the homeroom teacher. “Yeah, Mr. Aizawa?”

“You were distracted,” Aizawa said, stating it not asking. “Since Kaminari passed out.”

“Yeah,” Sero said quietly, looking down. Shame for his lack of attention climbing up his throat. “I’m really worried about him, s’all.”

“You know that it’s not weak to worry about your friends?” Aizawa asked. Sero looked up at his teacher in shock. Aizawa asked!

“Yeah, I know that. What of it?”

“Then why are you beating yourself up about it?”

Sero froze. Had he? The teen was puzzled, had he really been beating himself over it. Sure yeah, it was stressful and he was worry and it was ridiculous how he let his thoughts get away from – maybe it was somewhat beating himself up about it.

“Maybe I am. I’m really worried about them. They always seem to be hurt,” Sero whispered, fixing his gaze on the floor. “I never seem to be able to help them, especially when they need it the most.”

“Stop beating yourself up about not being able to help, just try to do better tomorrow. If I had that thought process for not doing enough or someone getting hurt on my watch, then I wouldn’t be able to get up every day or keep my friends from worrying about me.”

“What?”

“As a hero, you’re not going to be able to save everyone. Those are the days you have to work past to get up in the morning. It’s alright to struggle with things, struggle is the part of process to getting better.”

Sero took in Aizawa’s words. Slapping a hand across his mouth, Sero’s shoulders shook as tears rolled down his face.

“Sero?”

The teen muffled a sob. It was like everything – the worry about Bakugou being kidnapped, Kaminari passing, and more – hit him just then.

“Do you need a hug?” Aizawa asked cautiously, as if he was unsure he wanted the answer. Sero just nodded.

Aizawa wrapped his arms around his student as Sero used Aizawa’s shoulder to muffle his sobs.

“You children stress me out too,” Aizawa said, almost too quiet for Sero to hear.

“You’ll be alright, Sero.” Aizawa’s words renewed Sero’s sobs, the comfort from teacher he never expected but it was incredible. If he was to liken it to something, then it would be to a warm blanket fresh from the dryer.

Chapter Text

Shouji woke to a white ceiling and a low beeping sound. Blinking and looking around – both with his dupli-arms and regular eyes – he came to the conclusion on where he was. Recovery Girl’s office.

Straining his memory, Shouji tried to remember what had happened to get him into the infirmary.

His answer came in Tokoyami coming in, looking ashamed of himself. Before Shouji could ask his friend anything, Tokoyami was apologizing.

“What for?” Shouji croaked out.

“I lost control and hurt you. Again,” Tokoyami replied, his voice eerily quiet and filled to the brim with disappointment and shame.

Shouji’s heart ached at the sound of his best friend sounding so…so…heartbroken. It was as if Tokoyami was expecting Shouji to not want to friends with him anymore after what had happened. Dark Shadow wasn’t anywhere to be seen either.

“I’ll leave you to your rest.”

With that, Tokoyami disappeared. Shouji’s consciousness faded with a million and a half questions asked with no answers.

It had already been a week since Shouji and Tokoyami had talked. Every time Shouji tried to talk to his friend, Tokoyami would find an excuse to leave or avoid him. It was becoming increasing difficult to remain unbothered and give Tokoyami his space, Shouji struggled to understand what had caused Tokoyami’s sudden change.

By then, Shouji was ready to pull out his hair in worry. He wished Tokoyami would stop avoiding him. Desperate to finally get his best friend to stay in the same room as him long enough for them to talk, Shouji went to the one person that he was sure could help him. Aizawa.

Knocking gently on the door, there was grunt and a low ‘Come in’. Aizawa was sitting at his desk, probably marking some assignments.

“Yes, Shouji?”

“I…um…” Shouji tried to find the words he needed, why was it so hard? All he needed to ask was some advice on how to talk to his friend, so he could understand why Tokoyami’s been avoiding him at every turn. But instead of saying anything that would make sense, the words caught in his throat and refused to move for anyone.

Sucking in a sharp breathe, Shouji tried to grasp the words he was looking for – not noticing how his teacher was straightening up in his seat and focusing on the tall boy. Or even when Aizawa had crossed the room and closed the door without his notice, before guiding him into a chair and sitting across from him.

All he could do was remember how to breath before blurting out, “Why is Tokoyami avoiding me, sensei?”

Shouji could hear his own voice crack distantly, his mind seeming to fog over as his breaking point broke. His normally stoicism broken by shaking shoulders, gasping breathes, and tears that he didn’t even notice.

“Do you remember anything from last week’s training that you ended up in the infirmary because of?”

Shouji shook his head, but the words lit up a possibility.

“Last week, during training, Dark Shadow and Tokoyami ending up knocking you out,” Aizawa said carefully.

The connection was made. It helped Shouji understand, but not the ache in his chest that had grown over the past week.

“H-how can I help him understand?” Shouji got out, trying to keep on track of his reasons for being there, even if it felt like someone was stabbing him in the chest and making it hard to breathe.

“Talk to him?”

“He never stays in the same room as me long enough for me to catch him,” Shouji said softly, not bothering to even try with the tears that trailed down his face.

“I’ll set something up for you two to talk then.”

“You would do that?” Shouji could admit that it was kind of a stupid question, but Aizawa nodded reassuringly anyway.

“You should go get some sleep, I’ll tell you in the morning when it’s happening,” Aizawa said, resting a hand on Shouji’s shoulder. Shouji felt certain of him finally fixing what was wrong between him and his best friend, knowing that he had his teacher – hell, Aizawa was practically his second father. Warm over the ache in his chest bloomed as he nodded.

“Good night, Mr. Aizawa.”

“Good night, Shouji.”

Shouji never felt more certain in something then Aizawa caring for him and all of his classmates, or so thankful for a trusted adult like him.

 ~

Things had been well, despite her quirk Hagakure felt seen and secure in her friend group. It had been well, she knows it’s illogical to get upset over something so little.

All Mina did was accidentally talk over her. It wasn’t major. Hagakure was just going to comment and had started to – but Mina started to talk and Hagakure didn’t want to interrupt. The topic was changed before she had gotten a chance to.

And it just hurt so much, she was back in grade school getting ignored and brushed off by everybody again. Back to when everyone thought she was a crybaby again. It wasn’t a big deal.

Then why did it hurt so much, if it isn’t a big deal.

It hurt to think about, but Hagakure had missed her chance to say something and now it was a while back, so whatever.

That’s what she told herself. It didn’t convince her.

It wasn’t until a few hours later that it bit her in the butt.

Hagakure could barely focus on her hero training in the afternoon. Or to what Aizawa had been saying or him narrowing his eyes in her direction. Or when Ojirou called out to her just before Bakugou body-slammed into her. Or paying close enough attention to avoid Bakugou's blasts.

Now, Hagakure grew up in a house that didn't permit swearing. If it had, she'd out swear even Bakugou at the moment, as she non-swear word berated herself for not focusing, it could be extremely deadly in the future.

Ojirou didn't say anything as he walked her to Recovery Girl's office, but his worried looks and the silence was enough for her to hunch in on herself and — even through she was already invisible — wished to disappear, to avoid the weighted gaze.

Recovery Girl tutted at her before sending away Ojirou, then guiding Hagakure to a bed and cleaning her wounds before healing them.

Leaving Hagakure to rest in peace.

Hah, peace. Yeah right.

Despite the exhaustion weighing on her, Hagakure's thoughts kept her awake. Driving in circles around the same thought Why can't you just let it go?

Surprisingly, it was Aizawa to interrupt her downward spiral in her thoughts.

The familiar scowl was actually comforting.

Before he said a thing, Hagakure blurred out, "I'm sorry! I know I messed up, Mr. Aizawa. Not focusing is dangerous. Sorry!"

As if all of her thoughts that she had been stewing in hit her in the emotions, Hagakure felt her chest tighten and tears bead in her eyes.

"I'm glad you're aware of it. What has you so distracted?"

Hagakure felt surprised at his words.

"It's not important. Really stupid actually."

Aizawa raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "If it isn't important then why were you unfocused?"

Hagakure didn't have an answer for that. Giving a half-shrug, Hagakure looked at the ceiling and tried to hold back her tears as the words 'Cry baby!' and laughter rang through her head again.

"Hagakure, what happened?"

She certainly hadn't expected him to push, but shook the thought away. He cared about her mental health.

"It's really stupid."

"I doubt it."

Hagakure was seriously starting to wonder when he'd stop surprising her. Probably never.

"It's just —" Hagakure took in a staggering breath. "Earlier, Mina accidentally talked over me. I know it isn't much or anything, but it hurt a lot and it shouldn't. At the same time, it was like I was back in elementary school and I was the class cry baby again. Overreacting about nothing, again."

This time, Hagakure couldn't stop the tears — she knew no one could really see them, it was her sobs that always gave her away — or the hiccups that started to escalate.

Soon enough, Hagakure was sobbing loudly as her head pounded in tempo to her unsteady breathes.

Aizawa setting a hand on her shoulder nearly shook her out of it just from shock.

"Hagakure," his voice serious. "It's not stupid to feel bad about something, even if it was unintentional, Ashido hurt you. Your feelings are valid. You can bring this up with her and help her understand why it bothers you and try to avoid it in the future. I'm sure she'll make the mistake, but I'm also sure that she'll try not to make the same mistake again knowing how it hurt you."

Hagakure had no idea that she needed that, needed to hear that. If she hadn't already been sobbing, she probably would've sobbed in relief.

"T-th-ank - hic - you," Hagakure got out. "H-hug?"

Even though she was sure he'd say no, Hagakure really wanted a hug. Plus, it was worth a try right?

Imagine those thoughts as Aizawa opened his arms in offering.

As she flung herself at him, clinging to him like a rather large koala. Hands grabbing at his shoulder blades, body shaking and head pounding, tears staining his jumpsuit. Aizawa wrapping his long arms and actually big frame around her dainty body, offering the comfort she wanted and needed.

He didn't comment when questioned on the large wet spot on his clothes. He had carefully set her on the bed after she passed out, finally resting.

Chapter Text

It was a simple training mission. Follow tracks through a forest and report back to Aizawa.

That was all it was.

At least, that was what it had been. It was a team-up too.

Him and Hagakure.

It was going well, both of them quietly acknowledge each other and pointing out the tracks. He had been the one to point it out.

Somewhere along the line Hagakure started getting really excited.

In her excitement, before Ojirou could say a thing, she disappeared. He couldn’t find her.

Until he heard the scream.

He hurried to the source.

Next thing he knew, Aizawa was kneeling at the bottom of a small cliff and they were being rushed to the hospital.

It was painfully quiet.

Ojirou couldn’t wrap his head around what happened. All he could think of was that Hagakure was hurt and it was his fault .

Aizawa sat quietly next to him. Ojirou barely reacted. Only once Aizawa crouched in front of him, did he take notice.

“Oh, hey Mr. Aizawa,” Ojirou said.

“Hey.”

“H...how is she?”

“In tough shape, but she should pull through.” Aizawa set a hand on his shoulder. “She’s out right now. I need you to tell me what happened.”

Ojirou nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in his throat.

“Ah, well, she…” Ojirou drug in a ragged breathe. “We were following the tracks. Apparently we went down the wrong trail. She ran ahead. I heard a scream. I f-found…”

Ojirou couldn’t finish, his throat clamping tightly on his next words.

His vision started to blur. “It’s my fault.”

“What are you talking about?” Aizawa asked carefully.

“I was the one to point out the wrong tracks.” He felt his face scrunch up in efforts not to start crying. “I...I let her run ahead. She fell without me to...she fell and I wouldn’t have known where she was if she hadn’t screamed.”

A pause. Silence passed between them.

“It’s not your fault, Ojirou.” Aizawa squeezed his shoulder. “You didn’t know the cliff was there anymore then Hagakure did.”

“I should-”

Aizawa squeezed his shoulder harder, looking him in the eyes.

“There will always be things you should have done , you will make mistakes. There is nothing you can do about it. What you can do, what is important is what you do after .”

The warnings were a trembling lip, a shaky intake of breath, and a small sniffle. That was all either of them got before the waterworks started.

Ojirou tried to stop them, but they kept coming.

Aizawa tugged on Ojirou’s shoulder, pulling him into a tight hug. Ojirou leaned into the hug, into the warmth.

“It’s not your fault.”

~~

It was a sunny day, as ironic as it was, when they got the news. Jirou stood in the kitchen telling a story a story about Kaminari goading Bakugou into something, again, and managing not to getting exploded by the hot tempered blonde.

“Yeah, so like, Kaminari was just sitting there saying -” Jirou was cut off by a loud sob. Jirou and her mom turned to look at the source. “What’s wrong?”

Jirou’s dad stood looking utterly shaken, tears rolling down his face and trembling.

“W-” he swallowed thickly. “When is the funeral?”

Jirou shared a look with her mom, both sharing the same thought. What funeral?

Approaching her dad carefully, Jirou set a hand on his shoulder.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

He held up a finger, nodding and humming in affirmation.

With a final, “Will do. Take care.” Hanging up, he turned to his wife and daughter.

“My...my mother passed away last ni--” He burst into tears again. The elder Jirou woman curled her arm around him.

“Tell us in your own time,” she said softly, rubbing his back.

“There is a funeral in a few weeks,” he said, leaning into his wife’s embrace. “I have to go to plan it.”

“Ah,” Jirou said. She couldn’t fully grasp the revelation.

The rest of the weekend was a flurry of packing and getting plane tickets.

“I’m sorry, honey, I know it’s not the best time. If you want to come later for the funeral, we can get you a ticket,” her parents assured. Jirou nodded, rolling the offer over in her mind.

“I’ll think on it,” Jirou promised, hugging her parents quickly before rushing slowly to the Alliance dorms.

Jirou barely knew her grandmother, how was she supposed to feel about that? About her death? Did she really want to go to someone she hasn’t seen in years? But was so close to before they moved?

Jirou huffed, giving Momo and Todoroki a short wave. Hurrying up to her room, Jirou shoved a hand through her hair.

There were still a few hours before the curfew, but she wanted to go to sleep. Maybe after sleeping she could figure out what to do.

Even after sleeping it didn’t help her with any answers. She was wide awake at 3am and hadn’t fallen back to sleep when she decided to shuffle out of her room.

Mumbling to herself, Jirou sought out something to drink. Far too tired for the time and far too awake to sleep.

Digging through the fridge, Jirou found Iida’s orange juice that was allowed for everybody. Straightening up, Jirou jerked nearly falling into the door of the fridge from the sudden presence of her teacher.

“I...I didn’t know you were up, Mr. Aizawa,” Jirou said, pulling her wits back to her.

“I didn’t know you were up either, Jirou.”

“Aw, well. I couldn’t sleep, so I came down for a drink.” Nodding to herself, Jirou grabbed a cup. Raising the jug of juice in Aizawa’s direction. “Want any?”

“I’m good.”

Aizawa fiddled with the kettle a little, turning it on.

“‘Kay.”

Pouring her cup full, Jirou returned the jug to the fridge.

“Why are you up?”

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?”

“Maybe so, I’ll tell you if you tell me first.”

His other eyebrow joined his bangs too.

“I was grading.”

“I tried to sleep on a decision. It didn’t work. I’m as confused now as I was then,” Jirou said, fiddling with her hair. A nervous tick she picked up a while back.

“What are you confused on?”

Jirou sighed, studying what was left in her cup. “My grandmother passed away last Friday. Mom and Dad left to look after the funeral plans. I’m not sure if I want to go, but I’m not sure if I don’t want to go.”

Tilting her head back, Jirou drained her cup.

“I was super close with her too. I spent a lot of time with her, just doing stuff when my parents were too busy. It’s just…” Jirou chanced a look towards Aizawa, shocked to find he was way closer than she thought he had been.

Settling against the counter next to her, Aizawa slung an arm around her shoulder. Jirou lent into the gentle comfort, ignoring the tears that streamed down her face.

“You’ll figure it out. You have a few free days that you can take for a family emergency available. Whatever you miss while you’re gone you can catch up on,” Aizawa said, voice quiet.

Jirou felt exhausted, leaning fully into her teacher.

“Thanks. I’ll think on it.”

She closed her eyes.

Chapter Text

Aizawa frowned at the papers. He was grading a recent assignment. The one lying in front of him was Momo's. There were little mistakes that she normally never made.

It was disconcerting.

Momo was at the top of the class, above Iida and Bakugou in the classroom and in strategic planning, at the very least better then Bakugou about thinking ahead.

Ever since her recent visit home, Momo had been acting off. Her assignments were lacking, as was her focus. As if she kept getting caught in thoughts that pulled even her focused mind away from the task at hand.

Aizawa needed to speak to her about whatever was causing this, nodding to himself, he planned to request her to stay behind after class.

Not expecting her to show up at the doorway of his office and knock.

"Um...Mister Aizawa, are you free to talk at the moment?" Momo asked, shifting uncertainly, her face worried.

Aizawa nodded moving the assignments into the desk drawer. Incredibly, he does have a desk with a proper seat, his students would faint from shock no doubt.

Momo grabbed a chair and sat across from him, switching between looking at her hands in her lap and him.

Aizawa didn't press, waiting her out. It didn't take long.

"I'm sorry for my poor performance lately, Mr. Aizawa!" the girl apologized.

"Why has it?"

"What?" Momo looked confused, needing him to elaborate. She was usually on top of his thinking.

"Why has it been lacking? Not enough sleep?"

She shook her head.

"It's ridiculous.”

“What is?”

Momo didn’t say anything, choosing to study her hands instead.

“What is ridiculous?”

Momo seemed to be thinking his words over.

“It’s not all that important, rather dumb how caught up in it I am,” the girl said quietly.

“Oh?”

“It’s just...I've been constantly caught up in my thoughts ever since my siblings visit." Momo frowned at the ground. "It has been fun, seeing my siblings and hanging out with them...in the beginning at least. On the last day, during dinner party, there was another one of the hero course applicants."

Momo glanced up at him, face twisted in discomfort.

"They said something that really got to me, in my head.”

“Which was?”

Momo sighed, closing her eyes. “That I only got into UA because of my parents connections, not because of my own skills or talent.”

Momo bit her lip and tilted back her head, Aizawa was sure he saw her blink rapidly like she was holding back tears.

“You did get in with your own skills, Yaoyorouzu,” Aizawa said. “The judges scored on the way you used your quirk to your advantage and applied it to your situation, made a plan and followed. That is your own skills.”

Momo clenched her jaw, sucking a sharp breathe. Finally looking away from the ceiling to Aizawa, tears trickled down her cheeks.

“You really think so?” Momo asked, unnecessarily.

Aizawa nodded, warmth blooming in his chest. “I did watch the exams after all.”

Momo gasped despite herself and smiled, beaming.

“That means so much!” Momo didn’t seem to be holding back any tears anymore as they were racing down her cheeks. Momo bit her lip, seeming to attempt to make a decision. “Could...could I..hug you, Mr. Aizawa?”

Polite as always, Aizawa gave her a small genuine smile. “Sure.”

He did not expect her to fling herself across his desk -- Aizawa was glad he moved the assignments beforehand -- hitting him full-on and knocking them over.

Fuck that hurt!

“Sorry!”

“Don’t worry about, kid,” Aizawa grumbled wrapping his arms around her and rubbing circles in her back. Momo continued to cry, tears probably staining his jumpsuit, and cling to him.

Even after her tears calmed down, she continued to hug him. Aizawa was half-sure she was faking being asleep as he packed her back to the dorms.

~~

It was Aizawa's least favorite day.

Parents' Day.

Every year it was the same, so many parents coming and going. So much noise. Far too many people.

Aizawa never enjoyed it during his school years either.

The worst part, Aizawa had to be there as a chaperone. It was incredibly about and he would rather another sports festival than this.

The second worst part was seeing the kids whose parents never show, the disappointed faces were horrible. It always felt like someone stabbed him and then twisted the knife deeper.

He was once in their positions too, making it 10 times worse.

Both Hagakure and Uraraka were sad about their parents not showing, but it didn't let it effect them over all. They understood why their parents couldn't come. Distance and money being the main factors.

Shouji's were there for a few minutes, same with Momo's.

Inko and the Bakugous showed. Inko doted over all of the class whose parents hadn't made it or already left.

Well, all but one.

Todoroki, he didn't even show up in the common room that morning. Or where all the parents were being directed to.

For some reason, Aizawa felt the urge to look at the dorms. Following the urge, the man's eyes immediately going to the windows of the only missing student. The curtains shifted slightly.

Narrowing his eyes, Aizawa makes a snap decision. Passing by Hizashi, Aizawa nods at him. “I’m going to check on Todoroki.”

“Of course, check on your toasty son,” Hizashi chirped grinning at him, not giving a shit when Aizawa glares at him.

Before he knew it, Aizawa was knocking on Todoroki’s door. There was shuffling sounds inside, the door cracked open.

“Oh, hello, Mr. Aizawa.” Todoroki stood awkwardly in the open doorway. “Why are you here?”

“You didn’t show this morning.”

“I know Endeavour isn’t going to show.”

Not even Dad or Father , it was Endeavour . Something about their relationship also struck Aizawa as off, not quite right.

“You don’t want to meet your friends parents and family member either than?”

“No.”

Aizawa observed the boy, he looked almost normal, but not quite. Todoroki’s eyes were bloodshot, slightly red, and swollen like he had been crying. It wasn’t very noticeable, but it was enough.

“What’s wrong?”

Todoroki didn’t budge.

“Nothing.”

“Do you want some hot chocolate or tea?”

Todoroki blinked. “Sure.”

Aizawa headed down to the kitchen, not looking back to check if Todoroki was following. Pushing the on button on the electrical water kettle, Aizawa leaned against the counter.

“What’s going on?”

Todoroki stared him down rather than answering.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Todoroki frowned, tugging lightly at the ends of his cuffs.

Glancing away, the bi-colored haired boy hummed non-committedly.

Aizawa turned around and started pulling out what they needed for hot chocolate, tea, and coffee.

In a low voice, Todoroki said, “I didn’t want to see the others with their families smiling and happy. Not when none of my family showed.”

Aizawa nodded.

“Tea or chocolate?”

“Black tea, please.”

“Anything else to it?” Aizawa asked, letting the boy choose what he meant. Returning the container of hot chocolate mix in favor for plain black tea.

“Their parents care about their well being over living up to expectations.” A chair scraped on the floor. Todoroki’s voice was quiet. “I...really wish my siblings were here. I haven’t seen them in a while.”

The kettle clicked off.

“Is there any particular reason they couldn’t come?”

Aizawa poured the hot water in the two cups.

“Endeavour told them they weren’t allowed to come.”

For a brief second, Aizawa froze. His father told his siblings that they weren’t allowed to see him. It was not looking pleasant.

Breaking out of his stupor, Aizawa turned around. His eyes immediately drawn to the student’s cheeks that glistened with tears, Aizawa swallowed thickly.

“What do you take in your tea?”

“Cream and sugar.” Todoroki messed with his phone, ignoring his tears. “All Endeavour sees me as is his tool. His successor to out-do All Might.”

Aizawa finished his instant coffee and Todoroki’s tea.

“Family isn’t blood.” The elder man slid the cup of tea across the table. “It’s choice. The choice of people who choose to stay for the long haul.”

The boy’s eyes widened, his bottom lip wobbled as he inhaled sharply. Todoroki clasped his hands tightly around the cup of tea, averting his eyes.

Aizawa sipped his disgusting knock off coffee, mourning Nemuri turning him into a coffee snob and not taking the time to make the good stuff instead. The elder watched Todoroki out of the corner of his eye, weighing what he should do in his mind when Todoroki spoke.

“If someone is in a bad home, you can get them out right?”

Todoroki’s face was guarded and wary.

Aizawa sucked in a deep breathe and nodded. His mind jumped to the bad possibilities as Todoroki sipped his tea thoughtfully.

“If I don’t want to you tell anyone, yet, you won’t right?”

“It depends on what you tell me.”

I have a duty as a teacher and your semi-caretaker to make sure your home life is safe.

“Okay.” Todoroki transferred his cup back and forth between his hands, deep in thought. “You know about quirk marriages right?”

Aizawa nodded, already feeling unsettled and discomforted about what he was probably about to learn.

Todoroki continued, telling the full story. Nearly identical to the one he had apparently told Midoriya before.

Face nearly held the cold-guarded look the entire time, until it broke. Todoroki’s voice cracked mid-word as the tears started.

Aizawa moved slowly around the table and sat next to the boy.

“You’re safe.”

The words only made his tears turn into body wracking sobs. Aizawa winced, the words hadn’t been right then.

Aizawa held his arms open in an inviting gesture, before carefully slipping them around Todoroki. He leaned fully into Aizawa, his silent sobs still shaking his body.

Aizawa nearly missed the quiet ‘Thank you’ from him before Todoroki had pulled himself away.

“For what?” Aizawa asked softly.

“For listening, mainly, and for coming to check on me too I suppose.” Todoroki scratched his neck lightly as he whispered, “For caring.”

Aizawa quirked his eyebrow. “Want another hug?”

Todoroki seemed slightly torn.

“I care a lot about you, Todoroki,” Aizawa affirmed. Knowing that Todoroki probably needed more even if he didn’t care to admit it, Aizawa continued,”I was worried when you didn’t show this morning.”

“Oh?”

“Or at the gathering.” Aizawa studied his student’s face with an openly caring and fond look. “You’re important to me.”

Todoroki’s lips quirked upwards.

“I guess you have adopted us, haven’t you?”

Aizawa snorted.

“Don’t let it get out, Hizashi will never let me live it down if he finds out you’ve figured it out.”

Todoroki smiled.

“I supposed I mustn’t tell him then.”

“Indeed.”

They cracked a smile.

Chapter Text

Iida finally understood why the roof was so favored. Going up there to think was actually enjoyable. Pulling back and think over stuff with a great view was quite...rigrevating.

That’s why he was standing there, even if he should already be in his room. It was nearly 9:30 P.M. according to his phone.

But Iida couldn’t bring himself to move an inch, rather standing still.

Standing hah.

That was why he was out here.

After visiting his brother, Tenya was reminded of things he couldn’t do with Tensei anymore. And of how he was now trying to fit the shoes Tensei left behind.

Iida rolled his shoulders,  feeling the stiffness that had worked into them. Letting out a loud sigh, Iida turned around. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he opened his eyes.

Flinching back, Iida flapped his arms. “Mr. Aizawa! I am sorry, I know I should not be up here so late! I -”

“It’s fine, Iida,” Aizawa cut him off, looking past him. “The view up here is usually better when there is still light out though.”

“A-ah, yes. That is true! I, uh, lost track of time!” Iida scrambled, trying to find a reason.

Aizawa’s eyebrow rose to meet his wild hair.

“You’re not one to lose track of time. What’s on your mind?”

“Ah, yes, right to the point. As expected of you,” Iida said. “It isn’t important.”

“If it’s bothering you, then it is important.”

Silence fell between them.

“Do you think I can live up to my brother’s legacy?” Iida blurted out, clenching his fists.

“That’s what this is about?”

Iida stared at the cement, not really seeing it but it was better than looking Aizawa in the eye.

Aizawa sighed. “Iida, it’s up to you to live up to the name. Those are big shoes to fill. You already remind me of Tensei.”

Iida’s head snapped up, he felt his jaw drop.

“You k-know my brother?” Iida asked, eyes wide. Aizawa nodded.

“How about we go inside?” Nodding, Iida followed close behind Aizawa. The doors of the elevator slid shut before Aizawa spoke again. “I went to school with your brother. We’re actually good friends.”

Iida swallowed, Aizawa’s voice was so nonchalant.

“How do I remind you of him?”

Aizawa hummed, leaning against the wall while closing his eyes. “He was class president too, you know. So there is that. Also the way you take ahold of the class and get them in line. You’re a good leader, too. There is the way you control your quirk, similarly to him.”

Iida nodded, a smile making its way across his face. “When I first got my quirk, Tensei taught me how to rev it to a beat. It was a rock song.”

Aizawa chuckled. “Thunderstruck by ACDC was the song. I remember. Tensei didn’t stop talking about it for days. He got Hizashi to find a song he could do the trick to.”

Iida’s smile fell. “I can’t do that with him anymore.”

Then Aizawa was there, tugging Iida into a hug. The boy spiraled into a rant about little things that he used to do with Tensei, his arms latched around his teacher in a bruising hold. They both ignored the dinging of the elevator, Iida was crying.

With a hand in his hair, Iida told one story after another.

Eventually his words dwindled into nothing, not a story left that he could talk about without coming apart.

~

Uraraka tried not to make too much noise as she slipped through the glass door onto the balcony. Agiley maneuvering herself so her legs went through the bars Uraraka kicked out her feet. She sighed heavily the same thought circling.

Is my motivation selfish? Deku-kun wants to help people and Tenya-kun wants to be like his brother. Mine is so...different. Despite what they say, is it truly okay?

Uraraka groaned, pressing her face between the bars of her apartment balcony. The thoughts had been tormenting her so badly she couldn’t sleep.

While her parents were sleeping peacefully and she was awake at a God awful time of night.

The thought had mocked her since finding out why Iida and Midoriya had decided to become heroes. It had tried to make her back out of it before she signed the application papers and after.

It was one of the most constant of her thoughts.

Uraraka sat the balcony, time blurring. Sitting there, not noticing the tears trailing down her cheeks.

“Uraraka?” a gruff voice shook the girl out of her thoughts. She blinked slowly, now feeling the cold that seeped into her over the time.

“Wha?” she mumbled, wincing at the sound of her voice. Clearing her voice, Uraraka looked around.

“Over here,” the voice said drily. The familiar voice clicked in her head.

“Aizawa?” Uraraka asked as she slowly turned around to face her teacher. “What are you doing here?”

The man leaned his back against the railing. “My patrol passes through here. Why are you crying?”

Uraraka’s lips twitched.

“I don’t know either.”

Uraraka could feel his stare as they sunk into silence. She turned back to the sky, humming quietly.

It was Aizawa who broke the silence.

“What’s wrong?”

Uraraka’s teeth started to chatter lightly as pulled herself onto her feet.

“Is it selfish?”

“Is what selfish?”

Uraraka bit her lip as she rubbed her arms in attempts to warm them.

“Is...uh...becoming a hero for money?” Uraraka asked, tugging on her hair lightly. “I want to be able to make enough money so my parents don’t have to worry and can live a comfortable life.”

Aizawa looked at her for a long moment. Uraraka started to feel nauseous.

“Why would you think it’s selfish? You want the best for your parents and taking the root that will allow you to potentially do that,” Aizawa said, staring her down.

The nausea that was building turned into warmth.

Giving him a wobbly smile as tears sped down her cheeks. Aizawa’s stoic face was replaced with worry in a furrowed brow.

Uraraka started to hiccup and her teeth chattered simultaneously.

“Uraraka?” Aizawa asked, concern in the entire name.

“I--I’m just s-so h-happy!” Uraraka got out around the hiccups and shivering. “I n-never tho--ught I’d he-ar that f-from you. I cou--ldn’t sle-ep because it was st-stuck in my head and ref--used to let my m-mind settle.”

The tension left Aizawa’s body.

“Do you want a hug, Uraraka?”

She openly gapped at the man, before nodding vigorously. Aizawa opened his arm in invite to be nearly knocked backwards as she barrelled into him.

Uraraka clung to him, hiccuping and shivering, trying to soak up the warmth through the cloth barrier. Aizawa returned the hug not nearly as tightly, but firm and comforting.

By the time Aizawa got her to release him and return inside, she was shaking and barely awake.

Uraraka gave him a final hug, muttering a quick “Thanks, Dadzawa” into his chest and slipping through the door. With a quick wave, Uraraka crept back into her bed with a smile plastered to her face.

“Dadzawa huh?”

Chapter Text

The last thing he expected to walk into was a fight. A fight between students, with the crowd was cheering them on.

“What are you doing,” Aizawa said, not making it a question. The two students froze, and Aizawa recognized the purple head of hair. Shinsou .

Hizashi walked up behind him, his usual smile gone. “I’ll take the other one, you take Shinsou.” Aizawa gave a curt nod. “Good luck, Dadzawa.”

Aizawa rolled his eyes at the comment. Hizashi, of course, had heard of it from 1-A and had taken up using it as much as possible around him.

“Shinsou, you’re going with Aizawa! You’re coming with me,” Hizashi said plainly, wearing a scary smile as he stared down the other student.

Shinsou quietly followed Aizawa back to his office. What was he thinking? Fights in school were grounds for suspension.

Sitting across from each other, the student’s school bag hit the ground with a harsh thud. The underground hero took in the purple haired teen.  Shinsou had a bloody lip, his nose looked like it had bled recently, and it looked like he’d had a bruised cheek, at the very least. His uniform was a mess, spots of blood on the collar and wrinkles where it was grabbed roughly. The boy refused to move his eyes from glaring at the toe of his shoe, fists clenched in his lap.

“What happened?” Aizawa asked simply.

Shinsou pressed his lips together, his expression screwing up. Aizawa raised his eyebrow, Shinsou glanced up for a split second before looking back down.

“I can’t do anything if I don’t know what happened.”

There was a soft sound, and Aizawa felt himself tense. It didn’t take another moment for him to realize. Shinsou is crying. The teen was aggressively wiping at his eyes, now looking at the ceiling. Presumably trying not to cry.

“It’s stupid ,” Shinsou spat out. Finally saying something, but didn’t answer anything.

“What is?”

“The entire thing,” Shinsou answered, tone bitter and cracking slightly. “I should be used to it by now, enough not to react to stupid shit like that.”

Aizawa waited for Shinsou to continue. Watching the internal war as he rubbed at his eyes and avoided looking at Aizawa.

“I’ve always dealt with people think I’m a villain because of my fucking quirk! I had already reached a point that I didn’t really react! I don’t know why I did today!” Shinsou ran a hand through his hand, tugging at the roots. “It’s just...I don’t know .”

Shinsou’s chest rose and fell quickly.

“Shinsou,” Aizawa said, softening his voice. The hyperventilating boy didn’t look at him. “Shinsou Hitoshi.”

Indigo eyes snapped up to meet black eyes. “Y-yes, sir?”

Aizawa searched the indigo eyes, finding only distress, sadness, and anger. What the other had said had upset the boy severely.

“What exactly did they say?”

Shinsou gulped, lip wobbling every so much. “They said…” He inhaled shakily. “That letting me into UA was a mistake...that I’ll be...moved back in no time...because they are all so much better.”

The boy’s hand snapped closed over his mouth as his shoulders hunched, shaking noticeably. What the others had said to him had messed with him terribly.

“You said they ?”

Shinsou made a choking sound, avoiding Aizawa’s gaze once again. Aizawa waited patiently for Shinsou to decide on his answer. Wiping at his eyes, Shinsou let out a cracking chuckle.

“How does Midoriya cry so much? It feels like crap when I do it. What’s his secret?” Another weak, wet chuckle. Scrubbing at his eyes, flicking his attention to Aizawa then back to the ground. Appearing not to want to settle on Aizawa’s expression. “He’s not...the first one to say shit like that. Not since it was announced I would be transferring to the Hero Class next year.”

“Who else?”

Shinsou shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going to transfer, it’s nothing new. It’s not going to change anything. I have to focus on my studies anyways.”

“It does matter, Shinsou,” Aizawa stated. “If students are calling you villainous over your quirk, that is bullying. UA has a policy against bullies.”

“I don’t want to get them kicked out over that,” Shinsou mumbled. “It’s not a big deal, I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t be. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

Shinsou’s gaze flicked to Aizawa’s face. “If I tell you their names, you’ll suspend or expel them.”

“Neither Principal Nezu or any of the other teachers stand for any bullying,” Aizawa stated, moving around his desk to perch in front of Shinsou.

Shinsou swallowed thickly, his bottom lip quivered ever so slightly. Aizawa lifted his arms in an open offer.

There a breath, a moment, before Shinsou decided.

Tentatively, Shinsou wrapped his arms around his mentor. Allowing his student to pillow his head on his chest, Aizawa rubbed slow and soft reassuring circles on his back.

“You’ve worked hard to get into the Hero Class, you deserve it.”

A muffled sob and the teen tightened his arms around Aizawa middle.

- - -

“Can I be a hero?” A small voice asked. Aizawa froze, stopping just out of sight of the common room.

“Why wouldn’t you be?” Another voice asked. Tokoyami.

“My quirk...it’s dangerous and can hurt people,” the voice -- that Aizawa now recognized as Eri -- admitted. A constricting feeling cinched around his chest, Aizawa knew that she felt that way.

No wonder after everything Chisaki had probably told her, how he used her.

“My quirk is dangerous too,” Tokoyami admitted to the girl.

“What?”

“Dark Shadow’s power increases in the darkness and is harder to control then...I’ve lost control before. It is terrifying.”

There was a gasp. Then another sound of shock.

“Are you alright?” Eri cried out. Aizawa leaned forward. Eri was on Tokoyami’s lap, she seemed to be struggling with some decision, then she hugged him. “It is terrifying.”

Her voice cracked. Tokoyami’s eyes widened and quickly returned the hug. “It is.”

Aizawa lost track of how long he was standing there, none of them daring to utter a single word.

“We both have dangerous quirks, but if I have the chance to become a hero, then you do, too.”

Eri made a loud sobbing noise and tightened her arms around Tokoyami’s neck.

“He’s right, Eri,” Aizawa spoke, stepping into sight. The young girl pulled back and looked to him, teary-eyed.

“H-hug?” she asked, voice shaking. Aizawa assumed her wanted a hug from him.

He crossed the room and sat down near them. “If you would like  a hug.”

Eri froze, eyes flicking between Tokoyami and her caretaker. Worrying her lip softly, Eri reached out one arm for Aizawa, beckoning him closer.

Moving closer, Eri caught the far side of his neck and pulled Aizawa into an awkward group hug. Shifting his arms so one was lightly around Tokoyami and the other was softly holding Eri. Tokoyami leaned into the embraces.

“My emotions ,” Dark Shadow wailed, appearing close to them and proceeded to sob and try to join the group hug.

Eri giggled softly, earning a smile from Tokoyami and a softened upturn to Aizawa’s lips.