Work Text:
Prompt: “Calm down! You’re scaring me!”
Warnings: Major character death
Aizawa's POV
The ringing of his phone woke him up from of the best sleep he's had in awhile. Someone was going to die. He swore that he would personally kill whoever was calling him on his night off. After the hell week that had been his life he needed a break.
Fully intending on chewing out whoever was on the other line he picked up his phone. He snarled, "What?!"
A cough resounded through the phone causing him to wince despite his anger, "He...y, Eraser."
The voice was cracked and broken. So much so that he almost didn't recognize it. His heart pounded as he stood and went into his living. Not caring if he woke up Hizashi who had crashed on his couch.
"Kid? What's happening?"
There was a wet cough and Shouta thought he could hear the sound of sirens in the background. Good Tsukauchi would be with them. Whatever his problem child vigilante had gotten himself into this time the detective could help.
Shouta demanded when the line was silent for too long, "Come on kid! Talk to me!"
Hizashi was sitting up on the couch as Shouta headed for the door. There was questions in his eyes but the exhausted hero didn't have time for them. Kiru wouldn't call him without a reason. He could count on one hand the amount of times the other had called him.
The kid chuckled but even that sounded off, "Sorry Eraser but I don't," There was another painful sounding cough, "Don't think I'll be making it to our next meeting."
Shouta's blood ran cold, "What do you mean kid?"
Please no. Not another one.
"Eraser I need you to promise me something," said the kid firmly.
“Calm down! You’re scaring me!”
Hizashi gave him a sharp look. Shouta's hands were shaking so badly he could barely keep a grip on his phone. This sounded too much like a goodbye. The kid wasn't saying goodbye. Right? He wouldn't do that.
The problem child of problem children shakily said, "Listen to me closely, Eraser. I don't have much time. Even if Tsukauchi gets to me they won't be able to do anything."
"Wha..."
"LISTEN TO ME DAMN IT!"
Shouta's mouth snapped closed. That was the first time he heard Kiru raise his voice. Even against villains it had been quiet but commanding. His phone pinged with a location from Tsukauchi. Shouta barely glanced at it before running in that direction. Pushing past his exhaustion he focused on getting there as fast as possible. There had to be a way to save the kid.
Kiru continued once he was sure that Shouta wouldn't interrupt him, "Tell Shinsou what happened wasn't his fault. That he was the best friend I ever had. Don't you dare blame him or yourself either. He didn't know until recently and I swore him to secrecy."
"Kid..."
Shouta could hear rescue workers getting closer to Kiru through the phone. It sounded like they were having to dig through something to get to him. What in the fuck happened?!
There was the sound of something breaking and distorted voices. Kiru gave another painful sounding cough. It had to be something to do with his lungs. But what?
Tsukauchi's voice came through, "Kiru! We are going," There was a pause and for a moment Shouta's heart stopped he was still a few minutes away, "Oh kid."
That was all he needed to know. Kiru was not exaggerating (not like he ever did). His injuries were just as he said they were.
Shouta ordered before Kiru could say anything, "Tsukauchi how bad is it?"
There was a pause. Then he said, "You might want to call anyone you know has ties to him. There is no way we can extract him from this. It's... it's worse than All Might's."
Shouta had to bite his lip to keep from swearing up a storm. That would not help them here. He knew how badly the Symbol of Peace was. Even if he didn't know how exactly he became that way.
Kiru laughed exhauatedly, "Don't blame yourselves. This was only going to end in one of two ways. Nothing you could have said or done would change that. I chose my path a long time ago."
There was slight rustling as if Kiru was moving. Both he and Tsukauchi shouted, "Don't move!"
There was more coughing sounding even wetter than before. Then there was a gasp from Tsukauchi and more movement. He could hear Tsukauchi shouting for paramedics.
Shouta was close now. Really close. He could see what was happening. What had once been an orphanage was now a pile of rubble. Ambulances were just now arriving and they were headed to the wreckage.
There was a pounding in his ears as he approached. Vaguely he could hear Tsukauchi talking to Kiru. But there wasn't any answers from the sassy vigilante. This brought a sense of dread to the hero. No. It couldn't happen like this! He hung up the phone knowing it was useless as this point.
As he crossed the police line Tsukauchi was hauled out of a practicality invisible hole in the rubble. In his arms was a child that was too young to be their vigilante. Not only too young but other than some cuts and bruises they didn't look injured. The kid was almost immediately given over to the medics.
He tried bypassing all of the police and paramedics he tried to get to the hole. Only for Tsukauchi to grab him. For someone who wasn't a hero the man was insanely strong.
Shouta snarled, "Let me go. I can help him."
"I'm sorry Eraser," said the man his voice tight with tears, "I promise you. You do not want to see that. There is nothing you or anyone else could do. He gave his life to make sure that kid got out of there uninjured. He's gone."
"He's NOT GONE!"
No matter how hard he struggled against the detective his hold would not break. He would not allow Shouta to see his kid, his problem child. The one that he had adoption papers for in his desk.
Eventually the fight drained out of him. And he along with the officers who had chased and worked with Kiru for so long watched as the paramedics dragged the lifeless body out of the hole. It was too dark for him to see where the other was injured. All they could see was how blood was still dripping him. There had to be dozens of deep wounds or a nicked artery for the amount. Not that it made it better or worse.
Nothing would ever be the same after this. That was the one truth of this night.