Work Text:
Aizawa has no idea what to do with you, and that much is incredibly obvious within your first few interactions. You try to be nice without being pushy, and it seems to be working out... sort of. You can’t quite tell what the pro-hero is thinking. He often raises his capture scarf over the lower half of his face when speaking to you. You idly wonder if he’s annoyed at your presence. Regardless, your conversations with Eraserhead are often short. You exchange greetings in the halls and occasionally talk in the teachers’ lounge, but that’s about it. You think Aizawa is pretty damn cool, and you’d like to get to know him. You just don’t exactly know how to go about it.
Your strategy of remaining present but not overly so seems to be paying off, though. As the days pass, you notice Aizawa’s responses to your greetings becoming less stiff and more relaxed. One time, you even think you see him wave. You quickly rid yourself of the notion, however. You’re likely just seeing things.
At least, that’s what you think. You think you’re overanalyzing things. You’re thinking about Aizawa as you walk down the hallway and, in your distraction, someone sneaks up on you.
“Heya, teach.” You exhale slowly and turn around, refusing to admit that your student’s sudden presence caught you off guard. Kaminari Denki stares at you, a mischievous glimmer in his eyes.
“Hello, Kaminari,” you sigh, struggling to keep the suspicion from your face. Nothing good comes from Kaminari’s conniving smile, and that’s a lesson you had to learn a few weeks ago.
“I was just wondering why Aizawa-sensei likes you so much.”
“Excuse me?” Your voice sounds a bit strangled, but you can’t exactly control it. Kaminari’s eyes are burning into your skin and you’re beginning to feel as if this conversation is really an interrogation. You struggle to find something to say, other than the misguided stammering you’re currently doing.
“Yeah, I even saw him smile when he was talking to you,” Mina pipes up, casually popping out from the hall around the corner. You take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of your nose, manifesting the patience for what is to come.
“Alright, everyone else, come on out.” To your bewilderment, Kirishima, Jirou, Sero, and Hagakure are all listening in. They have a wide variety of expressions on their faces. Jirou, for one, looks strangely satisfied. Sero and Kirishima have guilty smiles on their faces. Hagakure... Well, you’re not sure what her expression is. “What is this?”
“We just wanted to ask you about Aizawa-sensei, promise!” Kirishima seems to be the person to take one for the team. Sero pats him on the shoulder reassuringly, before chiming in himself.
“Aizawa-sensei seems to actually tolerate you,” he shrugs, fiddling with one of his elbows. The others exchange nods at this. Jirou doesn’t say anything, but the smirk on her face suggests that she knows something you don't. You take a moment to collect your thoughts, before shaking your head in disbelief.
“While I admire your enthusiasm, my relationship with Aizawa is none of your business,” you explain, crossing your arms over your chest. You raise an eyebrow at the smirk that grows on Kaminari’s face. You don't realize your blunder until it’s too late.
“Relationship?” Kaminari is wearing the biggest, most shit-eating grin you’ve ever seen. You resist the very tempting urge to expel the entire group of students standing before you.
“Wait, no, that’s not what I meant,” you scramble to explain, but the students are too far gone to notice. They're all wearing assorted expressions of satisfaction and knowing. You take a deep breath. “Alright, that’s enough, everyone.” You shoo the students away, pretending not to hear the excited whispers and gasps that echo throughout the empty hallway. Once the group is gone, you lean against the wall and close your eyes for a moment.
“Hey.” You open your eyes, shocked to find Aizawa himself standing before you. His hands are shoved in his pockets and his gaze is cast aside, but he’s standing in front of you nonetheless. You’re so surprised by the sudden greeting that it takes you a moment to respond.
“Hi,” you eventually say. “What’s up?” Surely, the pro-hero must need something. That’s evidently the only reason he’s standing in front of you right now. Aizawa isn’t fond of small talk.
“You seem troubled,” Aizawa squints at you and you just barely prevent yourself from withering under his gaze. It takes you a moment to process his statement, but when you do, you’re a bit shocked. In all honesty, you thought Aizawa disliked you. Apparently, you were wrong.
“Your students are very… persistent,” you answer, struggling to hide your coexistent amusement and humiliation. The pro-hero across from you, however, seems to settle for contemplating his life decisions.
“What did they do now?” Aizawa grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. You resist a laugh at the dramatic gesture. You’re well aware that Aizawa cares for his students. He just pretends that he doesn’t.
“They kept asking me about you,” you recall. You think about what to say for a moment, before deciding on simply telling the truth. “They seemed to think you find me tolerable. I told them that was ridiculous.”
Aizawa is uncharacteristically silent. You wait a few moments for his response, but it never comes. Chancing a glance at him, you find him to have a conflicted expression on his face. It’s perhaps the most emotion you’ve seen him express. “Is it ridiculous?”
“Well, I mean, it’s not true,” you choke out, avoiding eye contact. You’re feeling increasingly embarrassed throughout this interaction. Somehow, Aizawa doesn’t seem to notice. Instead, he seems to be thinking about something as he frowns.
You’re not sure what you’re expecting him to say next. Maybe he’ll remain silent and simply walk away. You’re expecting a death threat, a punch in the face, anything. What you’re certainly not expecting is his next statement. “What if it were true?”
“What?” You’re sure your voice cracks as you speak, but you can’t find it in yourself to care. No, you’re focused on what the pro-hero just said. You could’ve sworn you heard him say—
“I tolerate you,” Aizawa clarifies, his hand coming up to his scarf habitually. You watch as his fingers twist in the fabric. He seems restless. His gaze, however, hasn’t strayed from your face. You’re beginning to feel intimidated.
“Oh, ha, that’s good,” you eventually say awkwardly. You’re starting to feel secondhand embarrassment too—in addition to your own personal humiliation.
“I more than tolerate you,” Aizawa says, his eyebrows furrowing as he takes a step closer. You instinctually back away, only for your back to hit the wall behind you. Aizawa doesn’t cage you in, but he does look at you with a smoldering intensity.
You’re not quite sure how it happens. The question falls from your lips and, before you can comprehend what the answer is, Aizawa is tugging you in and kissing you. You tangle your fingers in his hair and pull him closer to you. His hands fall to your waist and you’re starting to feel robbed of breath when you’re rudely interrupted.
“I win the bet!” You recognize that voice. Desperately hoping your thoughts are wrong, you look behind Aizawa’s shoulder and stiffen. Sure enough, Kaminari, Sero, Mina, Jirou and Hagakure are standing behind him. Aizawa’s hands fall from your waist and you swear you see his eyes glow red for a second as he turns around.
The students don’t look the least bit embarrassed, instead grinning victoriously. You resist the very strong urge to curl up into a ball on the floor, instead glancing at your coworker. Aizawa is glaring at them with enough force to take out their Quirks, despite the fact that his eyes are a warm brown.
“New assignment for you all, due tomorrow,” Aizawa orders. “Write two pages on the concept of privacy when it comes to pro-heroes.” The students scramble away, letting out assorted groans.
“I don’t think that dissuaded them,” you huff out a laugh. You can’t help but find amusement in Aizawa’s students and their investment in your relationship. Clearly, the group cares for Aizawa.
“Probably not,” Aizawa sighs, pulling his capture scarf up to cover his mouth. “I’m getting coffee. Care to join me?” You nod and fall in step next to him, smiling to yourself.