Chapter Text
Once upon a time, there was a world filled with people with extraordinary abilities known as Quirks. Whether it was breathing fire or using the abilities of an animal, there was no limit to what kind of powers people had. Some used their powers for good, others for evil. One fateful day, they all found themselves trapped in a world without Quirks, and no happy end in sight except for one person. Our world has no powers, and thus that is where everyone was sent. Only one thing would stop the greatest villain from getting what they so desired.
This is how everything took place.
A young woman sat at a table, her eyes scanning over the room as she waited for the arrival of her date. She sincerely hoped that the pictures of him hadn’t been fake; he was quite handsome in her opinion, despite what his bio had said. Evidently, the man didn’t consider himself attractive. She perked up as she saw just the man she had been waiting for, watching as his eyes caught hers. He wore a suit, his dark locks pulled back into a half-up half-down style. She noticed he was clean shaven as well.
The woman stood from the table, going to meet him halfway as he started walking over. As they met at their table, the man offered a small grin. As the woman extended her hand, she spoke, “Shouta Aizawa?”
“Emi Fukukado,” he took her hand in his, shaking it gently, “You look relieved.”
“It is the internet y’know. Pictures could be fake, outdated-”
“Or stolen from a Victoria’s Secret catalog,” Aizawa responded, eliciting a laugh from Fukukado.
“And your bio said you’re not a humorous person, yet here you are making me laugh,” she giggled, “Please, sit down.”
“Not quite yet,” he placed a hand on her shoulder, moving past her to pull her chair out for her, making her face turn a light shade of pink.
Soon after they were both seated, Fukukado spoke, her smile never fading for even a moment.
“So, tell me something about yourself.”
“Well...today is my birthday.”
“And you’re spending it with little old me? I feel special,” Fukukado giggled again, “what about friends?”
“I’m a bit of a loner.”
“And what about your family? Do you not like them or something?”
“No family to dislike.”
“Oh come on. Everyone has family.”
“Technically, yes. But not everyone knows who they are. Are you ready to run yet?” He inquired, smirking when she laughed again. She sure found a lot of things humorous.
“Not a chance! You are by far the sexiest, friendless orphan that I have ever met,” Fukukado chortled, earning a snicker from Aizawa.
“Alright. Your turn,” he said, but he added before she could respond, “no wait, let me guess.”
Aizawa leaned forward slightly, arms resting on the table.
“You are beautiful, charming-”
“Go on,” Fukukado bit her lip not so subtly.
“The kind of woman who, and now stop me if I get this wrong... Embezzled from your employer, got arrested and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail,” Aizawa’s friendly aura had completely dissipated, a scowl taking over where a once friendly smile had been.
She laughed, blinking a bit, “...What?”
“And the worst part of all of this is your husband. Your husband loves you so much that he bailed you out, and how did you repay him? You’re on a date.”
“Who are you?” Fukukado replied, her once joyous face having changed to one of discomfort.
“I’m the guy who put up the rest of the money.”
“You’re a bail bondsman...”
Aizawa nodded, “That’s right. Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way-”
In a split second, the table had been flipped over, and Fukukado was on the run. Aizawa let out an exasperated sigh.
“Seriously?” He muttered, looking down at his suit now ruined by his drink. Whatever, it wasn’t as if he enjoyed dressing this way anyway.
He made his way after her out of the building, striding out into the street, having no regard for a car that swerved around him. Fukukado was attempting to get in her vehicle and drive away, but her car had a parking boot on it.
“Are you kidding me?!” She glanced back as Aizawa arrived at her car. “Look, I have the money-”
“No you don’t. And if you did, you should give it to your husband. Take care of your family.”
“What the hell do you know about family?”
Aizawa’s gaze darkened, but he kept himself from doing anything irrational. The police were making their way over anyway.
“Nothing,” he answered before he took his leave.
Arriving home, Aizawa took off his shoes, leaving them neatly near the door. He didn’t bother taking off his suit just yet, first freeing his hair and letting dark bangs fall in front of his eyes. He walked to the counter in his kitchen, grabbing a box with a cupcake in it. He gathered a candle and a lighter, placing the candle in the cupcake and lighting it. Soon after, he sat down, putting his arms on the table and resting his chin on them, gazing at the flame in front of him.
“Another banner year,” he sighed, closing his eyes and blowing out the candle.
Not even seconds later, his doorbell rang. Who the hell could possibly be at his door?
He got up, making his way to the door and opening it. As he looked out and saw no one at first, his gaze shifted down to a child who had to be no older than ten standing in front of him.
“Uh...can I help you?” He asked, brows furrowed in confusion.
“Are you Shouta Aizawa?” The young boy asked, bright green eyes practically sparkling.
“Yeah...who are you?”
“My name is Izuku, and you’re my guardian,” the boy stated with a grin.
Aizawa stood there stunned, unable to say anything, not even as the child invited himself in. Finally, he found his voice.
“Hey, kid. Kid. I think you have the wrong address or something. I don’t have any kids. Where are your parents? Your actual guardians?”
“Ten years ago. Did you take a newborn to an adoption center?”
When Aizawa blinked, looking as though he was pondering his words, the boy continued.
“That was me.”
“Give me a minute,” Aizawa said after a moment, closing himself in the bathroom. What the hell? What the actual hell was happening? There was a child he didn’t know in his apartment. His parents were gods know where. Though, Aizawa did remember leaving a child. What he didn’t remember was how he had gotten that child in the first place. All he had known then was that he couldn’t be the boy’s father, much less his guardian. So, he had to give him his best chance, and leave him in someone else’s hands.
“Do you have any juice?” The boy called innocently, and not even seconds later, “Never mind, found some!”
As Aizawa exited the bathroom, he looked at the kid, Izuku, sitting at his table, drinking juice directly from the bottle. Whoever raised this kid...he was already proving to be an issue within the few minutes he had been here.
“You know, we should probably get going,” Izuku said with a smile.
“Going where?”
“I want you to come home with me.”
“Okay kid...I’m calling the police,” the man said, grabbing the phone.
“Then I’ll tell them you kidnapped me.”
Aizawa froze, turning to look at the kid. He tilted his head down slightly, keeping eye contact with Izuku.
“You’re not going to do that.”
“Try me,” Izuku smirked.
“You’re good kid, I’ll give you that,” Aizawa replied with a smirk of his own. “I’m not good at a whole lot of things, but I do have one skill. I call it my superpower.”
Izuku’s eyes seemed to light up a little just at the mere mention of superpowers.
“I can tell when anyone is lying. And you, kid, are,” he said, starting to dial the number to call the cops.
“Please don’t call the cops. Please. Come home with me,” the kid practically begged.
Aizawa sighed, contemplating his options. What would be the harm in taking the kid back to his parents? It would be better than appearing as though he kidnapped him.
“Where’s home?”
“Musutafu, Japan.”
“Musutafu? Like Mustafar in Star Wars? Kid, come on.”
“It’s a real place! Come on, let’s go, you’ll see!” The kid practically leaped out of the chair to race to the door.
Aizawa sighed, grabbing the bridge of his nose between two fingers. “What am I doing?” He muttered, before he got himself ready to leave.
The sun shined brightly over the city. Birds fluttered past the window where a woman stood in a daze. She fiddled with the ring on her finger, her mind running a mile a minute. She couldn’t get his horrible words out of her head. He had declared to ruin her life, to make all of their lives hell. Everything all of them loved would be taken from them. She startled slightly as the front door opened and closed. She kept her gaze fixed on the world outside, one of her hands soon moving to her abdomen.
“Inko?”
The woman didn’t move as her name was spoken, her eyes watching people leaving and coming back to their homes, walking the streets and going about their lives. A gentle hand clasped her shoulder, lips pressing to her temple.
“Are you okay? You’re not still thinking about what he said are you?”
“How can I not? Hisashi, he threatened you. He threatened me, everyone. All because of a stupid mistake I made,” Inko despaired, looking at her husband with frightened eyes.
The man got a hold of her hands gently, “He can’t hurt us. He wouldn’t dare. We’re going to have a baby; we have more important things to worry about than some guy’s jealousy.”
Inko shook her head, “It’s not just that. It’s so much more than that. He’s different somehow from when I first met him. He’s dangerous now.”
“What can I do to ease your mind, darling?” He asked softly, his eyes meeting hers.
“Let me talk to him.”
Hisashi instantly denied her request, “No. No way.”
“There are rumors he’s able to see the future now. No one knows how, but he can.”
“There’s a reason no one goes to him, I mean...Inko he’s part of the Hassaikai for god’s sake-”
“Can you guarantee that our baby will be safe? If something should happen to us, we need to make sure our baby’s future is ensured,” Inko stated firmly, for she was serious.
Hisashi’s eyes flickered between hers, trying to read her. His hand grazed her arm, running his fingers along her skin. Soon, he nodded.
“Fine. For our child, we’ll go.”
As Aizawa drove, Izuku suddenly spoke up.
“I’m hungry. Can we stop somewhere?”
“We’re not stopping anywhere, kid. This isn’t a road trip. I could have put you on a bus by yourself, so be a little grateful.”
Izuku frowned before he opened a rather big book on his lap, starting to flip to one of the pages. The boy’s eyes scanned over the text and the pictures, a smile coming to his face.
Aizawa couldn’t help but glance over at the book he had before he locked his gaze on the road again.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t think you’re ready for it,” Izuku said smugly, looking over the pages.
“Ready for what? Stories about superheroes and villains?”
“They’re not just stories. They’re true. Everything in this book actually happened.”
“Oh, of course it did,” Aizawa responded, sounding uninterested.
“Use your superpower, see if I’m lying,” Izuku told him, causing the man to glance at him before focusing on driving.
“Just because you believe something doesn’t make it true.”
“That’s exactly what makes it true. You should know that better than anyone.”
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“Because you’re in this book.”
Aizawa’s brows furrowed in mild concern. “You’ve got problems, kid.”
“Yup, and you’re gonna fix them,” Izuku replied.
Aizawa said nothing, keeping his eyes on the road, and continuing to ask himself why the hell he got himself into this situation.
As they arrived at a door that would lead them into the room where they would be meeting with Overhaul, Inko stayed close to Hisashi. She grabbed hold of his hand, and he held it tightly. Sure, this had been her idea, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t feel just a twinge of fear.
“Overhaul, you have guests,” the masked man with them says as he opens the doors.
“Yeah, I’m aware,” Overhaul replied from where he sat on a couch. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing in what Inko could only guess was due to a smile under that odd mask of his.
“Inko and Hisashi Midoriya, have a seat,” he gestures to the couch in front of him.
The couple seats themselves with hesitation, Hisashi never once loosens his grip on his wife’s hand.
“Oh, loosen up. I’m not going to hurt either of you,” he said, though his voice was far from comforting.
“We’ve come to ask you about All For-”
“Yeah, I know why you’re here. You want to know about All For One’s threat.”
“Tell us what you know,” Inko demanded, green eyes practically burning holes into Overhaul’s face.
“Ooh, tense, aren’t we? Don’t worry, I think I can ease your mind. But it’s going to cost you,” he replied, the smile hidden under his mask had faded as he grew serious.
“This is a waste of time, Inko. We should-”
“What do you want?” Inko asked, green eyes meeting golden ones.
“Hmm...how about the name of your unborn child?”
“Absolutely not,” Hisashi snaps.
“Deal!” Inko says at the same time, “What do you know?”
“All For One has gotten his hands on a powerful curse, and it’s coming. Soon, everyone will be in a prison, a time prison. Time will stop, and we will all be trapped someplace horrible. Everything we hold dear, everything we love will be ripped from us while we suffer for eternity. While All For One celebrates, victorious at last. Bye bye, happy endings.”
The parents to be glance at each other, both rather horrified by the information they were receiving. Inko is the first to glance back at the man in front of them.
“What do we do?”
“We can’t do anything.”
“Who can?”
“That child in your belly might be the answer you’re looking for. He’s our only hope. Get him to safety, and once he’s old enough, the final battle will begin.”
“We’ve heard enough,” Hisashi suddenly states, standing and ushering Inko out of the room.
“Hey, we had a deal. Give me your unborn son’s name.”
Inko stops against Hisashi’s wish to leave, pulling her hand from his wrist gently. She looked him in the eyes, an unspoken exchange happening between them. She looked back at Overhaul.
“Izuku. His name is Izuku.”
With that, the couple left, leaving Overhaul to mull over the unborn baby’s name.
“Izuku,” he muttered to no one in particular.
As Aizawa and Izuku arrived in Musutafu, Aizawa asked the kid his address.
“Forty fourth not telling you street.”
The car screeched to a stop in the middle of the city. Aizawa got out of the car, already fed up with Izuku’s behavior.
“Look, it’s been a long night. It’s almost...eight fifteen?” Aizawa stated, confusion riddling his features as he looked up at a clock tower.
“That clock hasn’t moved my whole life.”
Aizawa looked at Izuku as the boy met him on his side of the car. He folded his arms, leaning against the vehicle as the child continued talking.
“Time is frozen here.”
Aizawa raised a dark brow, “Excuse me?”
“The super villain, All For One, he did this. He sent everyone here to this world where they can’t use their powers and they don’t know who they are.”
“Kid. You’re really telling me that a super villain sent all the other characters here so that their lives would be ruined or something?”
“It’s true!”
“Then why doesn’t everyone just leave?”
“They can’t. If they do, bad things happen.”
“Izuku!”
A new voice calls, heading over to the two. He’s a skinny man, but much taller than Aizawa with yellow hair and blue eyes.
“What are you doing here? Everything alright?”
“I’m fine, Mr. Yagi,” the boy said with a bright smile.
“Who’s this?” The man, ‘Yagi’ responded.
“Just someone trying to give him a ride home,” Aizawa says dryly, his tired eyes locked on the newcomer.
“He’s my guardian, Mr. Yagi.”
“Oh, I see,” Yagi said, glancing at Aizawa.
“Do you know where he lives?” The dark-haired man asked.
“Yeah,” the taller man replied, explaining where the boy’s father lived, “the mayor’s house is the biggest on the block. You can’t miss it.”
“You’re the mayor’s kid?” Aizawa glared a little at the child, noticing how Izuku shrunk under his gaze.
“M-maybe,” the boy responded.
“Hey, where were you today, Izuku? You missed your session,” Yagi said, sounding genuinely concerned for the young boy.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip,” Izuku fibbed.
“Now, young man, what did I tell you about lying? Giving in to one’s dark side never accomplishes anything,” Yagi stated.
“Okay...well, I should be getting him home,” Aizawa grumbled.
“Yeah, sure. Well, I’ll leave you to it, and you. Izuku, have a good night,” Yagi told the boy, ruffling his hair before he started walking away.
“So, that’s your shrink huh?” Aizawa inquired, looking at the kid.
“I’m not crazy,” Izuku insisted, noticing how Aizawa’s face changed ever so slightly. He almost appeared apologetic.
“I didn’t say that, kid,” he sighed, “He just doesn’t seem cursed to me. Seems like he’s just trying to help you.”
“He’s always looking out for me, even when we don’t have our sessions,” he pauses, then continues, “I’ll let you in on a secret though. He knows who he really is, he’s just faking it,” Izuku said, leaning closer and lowering his voice to a whisper.
“Okay, I’ll play. Who’s he supposed to be?”
“All Might, the greatest hero ever!” Izuku beamed, causing Aizawa to roll his eyes.
“Oh boy... I’ve heard enough about that guy.”
“You know about him?”
“Just get in the car,” Aizawa orders, opening his door to get in as Izuku races to the other side.
“But you obviously haven't read my book, how do you know who All Might is?!” Izuku practically jumps into his seat, excitedly speaking.
“He’s a popular comic book character, kid. Of course, I know who he is. He’s insufferable. The exact opposite of that man we just interacted with.”
Izuku sighed, relaxing and looking at his book again, deciding not to pester Aizawa further.
“Do you have to bring me back here?” Izuku asked timidly, looking towards the house hiding behind hedges.
“Yes. I’m sure your parents are worried,” Aizawa says, opening the gate to walk up towards the stairs to the rather large home in front of them.
“I don’t have parents. Just a dad...and he’s evil.”
“That’s a bit extreme. Don’t you think?” Aizawa looked at the kid incredulously, watching as Izuku turns towards him.
“He is...he doesn’t love me. He only pretends to,” Izuku said somberly, emerald eyes looking down at his red shoes.
“Kid...” Aizawa bends down a little, frowning, “I’m sure that’s not true.”
The front door opens, and out comes running another giant of a man, and Aizawa wonders if he’s stumbled into a land of giants.
“Izuku!” The man bends down to embrace the child. “Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?” The man’s rapid-fire questions go ignored as Izuku moves away from him.
“I found my guardian. That’s what,” he says angrily before he sprints into the house.
Another man who stands by the first one that came out glances at him before he turns to make his way into the house silently. The man that Aizawa assumed to be the mayor as well as Izuku’s dad seemed to stare off into nowhere for a second before he looked at Aizawa.
“Izuku’s guardian? Does he mean...” the mayor starts to say, but Aizawa cuts him off.
“Yeah...I’m the one that put him in the adoption center.”
The man takes a breath, studying Aizawa before he speaks again.
“Would you care for a drink? An apology of sorts for the trouble my son must have caused you.”
“Got anything strong?” Aizawa responded.
Moments later, the two entered the home. Aizawa’s brows furrow as he hears something upstairs sounding like footsteps pounding. A young man leans over a balcony railing.
“So, when were you gonna tell me Izuku was back?” The blue haired man asks, scratching at his neck.
“Now, Tomura, don’t be that way. He just walked in the door. You should welcome your brother with open arms. Who knows what he’s been through? Kurogiri, how is he?” The mayor says, looking at the other man descending the stairs. Aizawa didn’t miss how this ‘Kurogiri’ had ruffled Tomura’s hair as he passed by, earning a complaint from the latter. He was able to get a better look at the man as he reached the bottom of the stairs. His hair was unkempt and purple in color, his eyes a golden yellow. He wore a vest with an undershirt and dark pants.
“He’s fine. Just tired,” Kurogiri responded.
“Good. Now then...prepare drinks for our guest and myself.”
“As you wish, sir,” Kurogiri responded, his gaze lingering on Aizawa who also locked eyes with him.
After Kurogiri looked away, Aizawa did too, focusing his attention on the mayor again. Kurogiri had caused some kind of feeling to arise in him, a feeling as though he knew him, but he couldn’t possibly. It had been a weird night so far; it was probably just his exhaustion getting to him. He followed the mayor into another room after the taller man had beckoned for him to do so.
“So, how did he find me?” Aizawa asked as the two men sat down opposite one another, a coffee table separated them.
“I have no idea,” the mayor responded, sounding mildly irritated, “when I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the man who originally found him wanted nothing to do with him.”
“Well, you were told correctly,” Aizawa responded, his eyes following the mayor’s as Kurogiri entered the room with their drinks.
The two men thanked what Aizawa could only assume was the mayor’s butler of sorts. Afterwards, the mostly silent man left the room. Aizawa shifted his attention back to the mayor.
“Why didn’t he go looking for his parents? Why would he come looking for me?”
“I thought you would know that,” the mayor responded after taking a sip from his glass, “according to his records, his parents are no where to be found. No one knows if they’re dead or simply abandoned him.”
Aizawa blinked, leaning forward to set his glass down before resting his arms on his knees. He met the other man’s gaze as he spoke.
“Well, I can assure you, I have no intention of taking your son from you. I just wanted to make sure he got home safe, and I’ll be headed back to my apartment shortly after I leave here.”
“Good. I’m glad we’re on the same page, Mr. Aizawa,” the mayor smiled, and Aizawa merely nodded his head.
The grey-haired man was about to speak again when there was commotion upstairs, and soon enough, footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.
“Get back here, you little shit!”
The mayor took a deep breath, seeming as though he was trying to compose himself. Aizawa jumped slightly as the door swung open, just barely not hitting the wall as it did.
“Give it back!” Tomura snarled, getting a hold of Izuku, and trying to pry something from his hands.
“Then give me back my book, you jerk!” The boy cried.
“Boys. Boys,” the mayor said calmly, getting Tomura and Izuku to stop their behavior within seconds.
“What book did Tomura take, Izuku?” The mayor asked.
“It’s one of my story books, he knows how much I like them, so he took it! So, I took his Xbox controller,” Izuku said, sticking his tongue out at Tomura.
“Dad! Do you see this shit?!” Tomura inquired in a rage, and he still hadn’t let go of Izuku.
“Language,” the mayor spoke sternly before his voice shifted again, “Tomura, if you give back Izuku’s book, perhaps then you will get your controller back-”
“You’re taking his side?!”
“I am not taking any sides. Now give him his book. Izuku, you will give Tomura his controller.”
Izuku only nodded, agreeing to the terms, while Tomura begrudgingly did the same, letting go of the boy. Aizawa watched the two boys as they both left the room, Tomura closing the door as he did so.
“Children,” the mayor chuckled, “I’m terribly sorry you had to witness that. I suppose I should let you go. I assume you have a job to get back to?”
“I keep busy,” Aizawa responded, finishing off his drink before getting to his feet.
“Imagine having another job on top of that,” the mayor said, standing up as well, “being a single father. I push for order. Am I strict? Most definitely, but I only do it because I want my sons to excel in life. You don’t think that makes me evil, do you?”
“No, of course not,” Aizawa shakes his head while the mayor opens the door to leave the room with the dark-haired man following behind, “I’m sure he’s just saying that because of the superhero supervillain thing.”
“And just what is that?” The mayor looked at him questioningly, as if he had no clue what Aizawa was talking about.
“His book? He thinks everyone in this city is a fictional character from it. Like, his shrink is All Might.”
It looked like the gears were turning in the mayor’s head, as if he truly was trying to figure out just what the hell Aizawa was trying to tell him. Eventually, he sighs as they reach the front door, smiling slightly.
“I’m afraid this is the first I’m hearing of this. I wasn’t aware of him having a book like that.”
Aizawa nodded a bit, offering a small smile before he responded, “Well, none of this is any of my concern. He’s your kid, and I need to get back.”
“Of course,” the taller man opened the door, letting the shorter of the two out before closing the door behind him.
Aizawa made his way back to his car, stopping momentarily by the gate to turn and glance up at one of the windows. He wasn’t sure how, but he had felt as though he was being watched. Sure enough, there little Izuku was, watching him from his room. He watched as the kid drew the curtains and turned his light off.
Just keep walking. The kid isn’t your problem, he told himself.
As Aizawa drove, he found himself having a hard time staying awake. He briefly wondered if something had been put in his drink, but he doubted it. He brought the mayor’s kid back safely; they wouldn’t drug him after doing something like that. Still, the raven-haired man fought to keep his eyes open, though that wasn’t much of a problem as he saw someone standing in the road. He swerved, missing the person but crashing into the welcome sign to the city. His vision went dark.
When Aizawa wakes up, he finds himself in a jail cell. He sits up on the cot, looking towards the only other cell. A young man with white hair, likely in his early twenties, sat on the cot in the other cell. His face had a few piercings here and there. He wore a rather nasty expression on his face as Aizawa made eye contact.
“Would you look at that? The guy who almost murdered me is finally awake.”
“What?” Aizawa looked at him, perplexed.
“Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been wandering near the town line,” a new voice belonging to a woman with purple and pink hair caught the attention of the two men.
“Oh sure. Blame the victim,” the younger man rolled his eyes.
The woman walked over and began to unlock the white-haired man’s cell, “I’m gonna let you go with a warning this time, but if this happens one more time, I’ll be forced to take other measures. So, Touya, behave yourself, won’t you?”
“Yeah yeah, just punish that bastard unless you want me to do it myself,” Touya responded, his blue eyes locking on Aizawa.
“I’m telling you right now, boy, you wouldn’t want to mess with me,” Aizawa told him, earning a scoff from the younger man as he took his leave.
“As for you, Shouta Aizawa, is it?” The woman asked.
“Correct. Looks like you’re the sheriff.”
“That’s right. Sheriff Kaina Tsutsumi at your service,” she responds with a smile that fades rather quickly, “You know why you’re here?”
“I crashed my car into the welcome sign-”
“You were drunk,” Tsutsumi cut him off.
“I’m telling you right now that I wasn’t. I did have something to drink, but only one, and I’m no lightweight. Something was clearly wrong with that drink, and that guy was standing in the middle of the road. So I swerved and crashed.”
“Right, likely story,” Tsutsumi chuckled, folding her arms.
“Kaina! Izuku has run off again, and I can’t find-” in comes the mayor, looking worried one moment and stoic the next, “What is he still doing here?”
The tall man walks past Tsutsumi to the cell, “Do you know where he is?”
“Sir, I haven’t seen him since I left your place last night,” Aizawa responded wearily, starting to get up from the cot.
“He wasn’t in his room this morning,” the mayor pressed, seeming convinced that Aizawa would know where his son had run off to.
“Did you try his friends?”
“He doesn’t really have any. He’s a bit of a loner.”
Aizawa feels a light pang in his chest; the kid was a loner like him? Forget it, Shouta, all you have to do is help them find the kid and maybe they’ll let you go and you can go home and forget this ever happened.
“Every kid has friends,” he flatly responded, his gaze meeting the mayor’s soon after, “Did you check his computer? If he’s close to someone he’d be emailing them or interacting with them through websites.”
“And you know this how?”
“Finding people is what I do,” Aizawa replied, “how about this? You guys let me out, and I’ll help you find him.”
It didn’t take long for Aizawa to search the child’s computer, even using a device of his own to recover deleted emails and files. He had to admit, the kid was good at covering his tracks. He found out Izuku had used a credit card for some of his transportation. The mayor questioned how that could be possible, for the kid was only ten, he shouldn’t have access to a credit card. Nemuri Kayama was the name of the person who actually owned the credit card. As it turned out, Nemuri was Izuku’s teacher.
Aizawa found himself going to the school with the mayor, making their way to Nemuri’s classroom. The bell sounded, the children were off to recess, so the mayor wasted no time in going to the teacher to interrogate her.
“Mr. Shigaraki, what brings you here?”
“Where’s my son?” The mayor was being far from friendly right now, a stark contrast to how he had behaved with Aizawa last night.
“I assumed Izuku was at home sick with you,” Nemuri answered, her voice softer than before due to the man’s tone.
“Do you think I would be here if he was?”
Nemuri shook her head, her gaze briefly wandering to Aizawa who stood there silently. Again, like with Kurogiri, Aizawa had a strange feeling hit him when he saw Nemuri.
“Did you give him a credit card so that he could find him?” Mayor Shigaraki inquired furiously.
“I’m sorry...who are you?” Nemuri asked, studying Aizawa’s face.
“I’m...I’m the one who-” Aizawa struggled to speak, still not willing to come to terms with the fact that a baby he left ten years ago had actually found him.
“He’s the man who dumped Izuku at the adoption center,” Shigaraki spat cruelly.
Nemuri pauses a moment, looking between the two before she set her purse on a nearby desk to look for her wallet.
“You don’t know anything about this, do you?” Aizawa observed, noticing how she appeared completely clueless about the whole ordeal.
“No, I don’t,” Nemuri responded, smiling just a bit as she noticed her credit card was indeed missing, “clever boy. I should have never given him that book.”
“Seriously, what is this damn book I keep hearing about?” Shigaraki growled, growing more frustrated by the minute.
“It’s just some stories I gave him. You know Izuku, he’s a special boy. He adores superheroes, and he always talks about wanting to be one. He’s so intelligent and creative, and as you might be aware...lonely,” Nemuri seemed to have chosen her words carefully, because everything she said had been calculated.
Aizawa blinks, thinking about the book Izuku had carried with him all the way to his place. The kid had said the stories in it were true, no matter how ridiculous that sounded to him, it was clearly important to the child.
“He needed it,” Nemuri added, looking Shigaraki in the eyes.
“What he needs is a dose of reality. This is a waste of time,” the mayor states, turning and starting to make his way out of the classroom, but not before he shoves a few books off a desk with one hand.
“Have a safe trip back, Mr. Aizawa,” he tells the dark-haired man as he passes him.
Aizawa doesn’t say anything in reply, he merely goes to help Nemuri pick up books and other items off of the floor.
“Sorry to bother you with this,” Aizawa tells her sincerely, even if his voice sounds monotone.
“No, it’s-” Nemuri looks at him with a smile, pausing to push her glasses up more on her nose, “it’s okay. It’s partially my fault.”
“How’s a book supposed to help him? Last I checked, stories don’t do much but entertain.”
“Stories are for so much more than that. They provide an escape...they give people something to help them make sense of the world,” Nemuri started walking out of the classroom after putting the books on a nearby counter, and Aizawa followed, walking next to her.
“Izuku hasn’t had the easiest life,” she added, causing a scoff to leave Aizawa.
“Yeah, he’s kind of a hard ass,” he said, referring to Mayor Shigaraki.
“It’s not just him. He’s like any adopted child. He wrestles with the question they all inevitably face, ‘why would anyone give me away?’”
Nemuri stops herself from continuing further, stopping as Aizawa does. She looks at him apologetically.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to judge you in any way.”
“It’s fine,” Aizawa answered, for he honestly couldn’t care less what anyone thought of him. He had done what he did because it was what he believed would give Izuku the best chance at a good life. Even if now he was seeing that the kid’s life wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, then again no one’s life was.
“Look, I gave Izuku that book because I wanted to give him the most important thing that anyone can have. Hope,” Nemuri said with a smile, “Believing in even just the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing.”
Aizawa regarded her for a moment, locating the last piece of the puzzle he needed to find Izuku.
“You know where he is, don’t you?”
“There’s an abandoned park. A statue of a superhero is there. If he’s anywhere, that’s where he’ll be,” she replied.
Not long after Izuku was born, the new parents realized that Inko wouldn’t be able to go with Izuku to escape the curse. The special wardrobe that had been created could only hold one. Hisashi didn’t want to leave Inko, but she insisted, giving Izuku to him. They had to give their son his best chance. With a heavy heart, Hisashi fled their home to rendezvous with someone that they had decided to trust with their child. Having been long time friends even when their paths diverged, Shouta was the one person they could trust with their newborn. Hisashi passed Izuku to Shouta, who held the baby with extreme care as if he were his own.
Hisashi ran a hand over the little tufts of hair on the baby’s head, looking at Shouta.
“Protect him. Get him out of here before the curse hits,” Hisashi instructed, telling Shouta exactly where to go.
“I’ll protect him with my life. I swear,” Shouta vowed, and Hisashi placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling before he looked at the infant in the man’s arms again. He leaned over to plant a kiss on the baby’s head.
“Goodbye, Izuku,” the baby’s father whispered, and his eyes met Shouta’s again before he bid him goodbye as well and fled.
Shouta knew there was no time to waste, for All For One’s followers would be upon them sooner than later. He sprang into action, being mindful of Izuku while doing so. The last thing he needed was to give the baby whiplash and very likely end his life. He made his way to the top of a building, climbing and jumping as he did so. He reached the top, taking in his surroundings before he checked on Izuku. His fingers ran over the baby boy’s hair, looking at the baby as he stared back at him. Somehow, nothing he had done so far had made the infant cry, but he knew that couldn’t last forever.
Just as he knew that their time alone wouldn’t last either. He looked around them again, this time looking past the many buildings of the city. His eyes widened as he saw clouds of smoke approaching, lightning crackling within. Just like that, he started running. He made split second decisions, leaping over the rooftops of the city.
“Eraserhead! There he is!” An unknown voice cried suddenly.
“Don’t let him get away!” Another joined in.
“Careful! Boss needs the infant alive!”
Shouta wasted no time in ducking behind pillars and other objects upon the rooftops, soon jumping down onto an escape ladder before using his capture weapon to lower himself and Izuku to the ground safely. With his weapon wrapped back securely around his neck and shoulders, he continued running. He assumed there had to be at least more than five people after him and the precious cargo in his arms.
He could hear them trying to keep pace with him, but unlucky for them, he was a master of stealth. All he had to do was get himself and Izuku to that wardrobe. Somehow, it had magical properties, though how it came to be he didn’t truly understand. Quirks existed though, so he supposed it wasn’t completely illogical for something like magic to exist. The wardrobe supposed to only hold and protect one person, but Shouta knew the truth. He would go with Izuku, to ensure that the child would be safe.
That was his duty as the child’s appointed guardian after all.
When he could hear no more footsteps for now, Shouta took a couple breaths, looking at Izuku. They were in an alleyway, and their only exit lied in front of them, unless Shouta decided to jump up again. His arm had long since become tired of the weight on it, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was getting Izuku to the wardrobe to escape the curse. He tensed as he heard footsteps, and he activated his Quirk as someone rounded the corner ahead.
“Hey,” a familiar voice whispered harshly, “it’s just me.”
Shouta blinked, his hair falling around his features as Nemuri walked over to him.
“Did you forget the plan already? That I was supposed to rendezvous with you in this area?” Nemuri inquired, giving him a playful glare.
“Forgive me for being cautious,” Shouta’s eyes narrowed too in a less playful manner, “Where do we go from here?”
“Hizashi is waiting by the wardrobe in a building not far from here. I’m going to escort you half of the way, but you gotta do the rest alone. I get the feeling they’ll be onto us soon,” Nemuri replied, worry evident in her gaze now.
“Let’s not waste any more time then.”
The two sped off, running through the city, Shouta tried to ignore the fires that engulfed every other building throughout the city. All For One wasn’t messing around, that much the dark haired man could tell for certain. He had already cast that horrible curse, but evidently that wasn’t enough for the villain.
“There they are! Surround them!”
Nemuri glanced at Shouta, nodding to him, watching as he nodded back. With that, Shouta sprung into the air again, managing to scale his way up fire escapes until he reached the top. He could see a pink mist below him, and his brows furrowed a little before he forced himself to keep running.
Nemuri would be okay, that’s what he kept telling himself. For now, he had to find the building Hizashi was guarding the wardrobe in. Izuku had a frown on his face, and Shouta was filled with dread in that moment. If the infant cried, they’d be onto him within moments. He had no idea if any of All For One’s followers had a super hearing Quirk, but if they did, they were screwed.
It didn’t take him long to reach the place where the wardrobe was being kept, and he made his way through an open window. As he got inside, he shut the window, pulling the drapes closed as much as he could with his free hand. He ran out of the room, which had been mostly empty besides furniture here and there. He made his way down the hall, trying to remember the exact route to the room Hizashi was in.
He heard the sound of glass breaking behind him, and his heart raced as he heard someone barking orders to others. How the hell did they find where he was going? Had Nemuri failed? He shook his head, willing his exhausted body to keep moving. He went down another hallway, and this time he knew he was on the right path. At the end of the hall there was a door leading into a large room, likely used for gatherings and such, or at least it had been.
“Shouta! Come on!” Hizashi called as Shouta entered the room, waving him over to where the wardrobe was.
Shouta ran to him, coming to a stop near Hizashi, looking at him briefly before he glanced behind him, wondering how close All For One’s men were.
“If you were followed, I’ll hold them off. You get Izuku and yourself into that wardrobe, now!” He said, pointing towards where the wardrobe sat near the back of the room.
“Hizashi-” Shouta couldn’t help the concern that started to flow through him. He was sure something had happened to Nemuri, and he didn’t want to lose Hizashi too.
“Damn it, Shouta! Don’t argue with me,” the yellow haired man cried, “You have to get him out of here!”
Shouta clenched his jaw before he went over to the wardrobe, opening it. He was going to help Hizashi whether he wanted him to or not. He knelt down to set Izuku in the wardrobe, though he didn’t close it just yet. He got to his feet, turning to go help Hizashi as he heard All For One’s followers reach the room. Hizashi used his Quirk against them, keeping them at bay for the time being.
He met Shouta’s gaze, “You have to go!”
“I’m not going without you!”
“You have to! Izuku needs someone to protect him and care for him!”
Present Mic turned back to use his Quirk against their enemies again, knocking a bunch of them off their feet. Shouta closed his eyes momentarily, shaking his head. He couldn’t do this, he couldn’t just leave one of his closest friends.
“Shouta! The curse likely won’t kill us! It’ll take us somewhere else. You and Izuku will free us from it!”
“How do you know that?” Shouta all but screamed back, trying to keep the tears in his eyes from running down his face.
“I have faith that the two of you can do it! You’ll break this damn curse, and we’ll all be together again!” Hizashi looked at him with a teary smile, “So, go now!”
“I can’t-” Shouta’s voice broke, and he glanced around them as the few windows that were in the room were shattered. He moved to take cover by the wardrobe where Izuku was now wailing.
The man moved on instinct, picking up Izuku and holding him close.
His eyes widened as clouds of smoke were closing in from outside. Shouta shielded Izuku, getting into the wardrobe. Hizashi was yelling something at him, but he couldn’t hear him. Shouta slammed the door to the wardrobe shut, turning his back to the doors, protecting Izuku with his body. He was certain the smoke had enveloped Hizashi, but he had also been able to feel it touch him ever so slightly as he had shut the doors. He kept his chin close to Izuku’s head, trying to soothe the infant as he cried.
“I’m here, Izuku. I’ve got you,” he murmured, holding on tightly to the boy as everything faded to black.
Aizawa arrives at the abandoned park, moving towards the statue of...oh god. It wasn’t just any superhero statue; it was a statue of All Might. Of course. The man let out a breath as he approached Izuku, being careful not to sneak up on the kid. He had his book with him, reading it quietly as he sat with his legs crisscrossed near All Might’s feet. Aizawa crouched down in front of the kid.
“Hey,” he made his presence known since the kid either was ignoring him or seriously hadn’t seen him yet.
It turned out to be the latter, for Izuku’s eyes were filled with surprise before they lit up.
“Hi, Mr. Aizawa!”
“Drop the mister, okay? Just call me Aizawa,” the man says in a gentler tone than he usually used, “Your dad is worried about you.”
“Doubt it. He’s just upset that I don’t always listen,” Izuku replied, looking at the clock tower in the distance. Aizawa follows his gaze.
“Still hasn’t moved, has it?” He asks, his dark eyes shifting to the boy again.
Izuku closes his book, frowning, “I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would have changed here. The final battle would begin.”
“I’m not fighting any battles, kid,” Aizawa responded, taking a deep breath and letting it out before he moved to sit next to Izuku. He crossed his legs at the ankles, figuring he might as well get comfortable. Knowing how much Izuku liked to talk, they might be here for at least a little bit.
“Yes, you are. It’s your destiny. You’re supposed to help bring back the happy endings,” Izuku insists, looking up at the man with those big green eyes of his.
“Can you stop with the book stuff?” Aizawa retorted, glaring slightly at the child.
“You don’t have to be hostile. I know you like me. You’re just pushing me away because you feel guilty for leaving me,” Izuku stated, “but it’s okay. I know why you gave me away.”
Aizawa’s expression fell a little, looking a lot less angry than he had tried to make himself out to be. He waited for the kid’s reasoning anxiously.
“You wanted to give me my best chance.”
“How do you know that?” Aizawa said after a moment of being absolutely speechless. There was just no way Izuku could have possibly known that.
“It’s the same reason why my parents gave me away. In fact, they’re the ones that gave me to you.”
The dark-haired man looks at the kid with an even more shocked look, trying to figure out just what the hell he was getting at. He couldn’t possibly know that about his parents, Aizawa didn’t even know about them and what happened.
“They trusted you with me. You remember how I told you you’re in this book? I am too, and so were my parents,” Izuku says, his eyes practically begging Aizawa to believe him.
“Look...Izuku. I’m not in any storybook, neither are you. We’re real people. We’re not saviors to a bunch of fictional characters,” Aizawa replied, noticing Izuku’s eyes starting to sparkle ever so slightly with tears.
“You were right about one thing though. I wanted you to have your best chance, but it’s not with me.”
Izuku rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, sniffling a little as Aizawa continued.
“Let’s go, kid,” he got up from where they were sitting, Izuku following after him.
“Please don’t take me back there. Just stay with me for one week! That’s all I ask,” Izuku begged, causing Aizawa to turn around to look at the sad boy in front of him. “Just one week, and you’ll see I’m not crazy!”
“I have to get you back to your dad,” Aizawa responded.
“You don’t know what it’s like with him. My life sucks! My brother doesn’t make things any better either!”
“Sometimes life deals you a terrible hand. I should know that better than anyone, I can’t even remember most of my life, and the parts I do remember don’t even feel entirely real.”
“That’s because of the curse!”
“It’s not a damn curse, kid. I was in an accident that gave me amnesia,” Aizawa snapped, causing Izuku to jump slightly, blinking rapidly. Aizawa felt his heart clench as a tear ran down the boy’s cheek.
“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean to get angry with you. Just...let’s get you back to your dad, okay?”
With that, Izuku nodded, following quietly behind the raven-haired man.
Aizawa watched as Izuku went up the steps and into the house after Shigaraki opened the door. He could just barely hear the sound of Tomura complaining, hoping that Izuku had been ‘lost forever.’ The mayor closes his eyes, sighing momentarily before he turns to Aizawa.
“Thank you.” He says, smirking slightly, “He seems to have taken quite a shine to you.”
“No problem,” he paused, glancing at the ground before his gaze met the mayor’s again.
“You know, it’s kind of crazy. Yesterday was my birthday. I had this little cupcake I bought myself with a candle,” as Aizawa spoke, Mayor Shigaraki tilted his head slightly, smiling just a little, “I thought to myself that I’d actually make a wish. I wished that I didn’t have to be alone on my birthday. Then Izuku showed up.”
The shorter man couldn’t stop the smile from coming to his face even if he wanted to, but it soon disappeared as Shigaraki spoke again.
“I hope there’s no misunderstanding here.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You don’t think all of this is invitation back into his life, do you?”
Aizawa was attempting to retort when Shigaraki spoke again, “You made a decision ten years ago, and in the last decade while you’ve been...well who knows what you’ve been doing.”
Aizawa’s eyes narrow ever so slightly, the way Shigaraki spoke was almost as though he was disgusted. Even though there was no reason to be.
“I’ve changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have had some link to him in the past, but he is my son.”
“I was not-”
“No,” Shigaraki’s voice booms, “You don’t get to speak. You don’t get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away.”
The tall man approached Aizawa, who never once broke eye contact.
“Do you know what a closed adoption is? It’s what you asked for. You have no legal right to Izuku and you’re going to be held to that,” though Shigaraki is not yelling anymore, he is far from offering any sort of kind tone to the man in front of him.
“So I suggest you get in your car, and you leave this city. Because if you don’t,” Shigaraki glared darkly as he spoke his next words, “I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do.”
Aizawa watches the man closely even as Shigaraki says, “Goodbye, Mr. Aizawa.”
The taller man turns to go back inside his home, but Aizawa isn’t done with him. He wasn’t about to let this guy walk all over him. It wasn’t very hero-like, but Aizawa was no hero, so he braced himself for what would come next after he spoke what he wanted to.
“Do you love him?” The man asked, fiddling with his scarf a bit before he focused his eyes on the man in front of him as he whirled around.
“Excuse me?”
“Izuku. Do you love him?”
“Of course, I love him,” the mayor responds before he retreats inside, slamming the door.
Unbeknownst to Aizawa, upstairs in Izuku’s room, Shigaraki grabs Izuku’s book of comic book characters.
“Wait, what are you doing?” Izuku tries to get an answer from him, but his adoptive father just looks at him for a moment.
After an excruciatingly long pause, the man tells the child, “This book has caused enough problems. I will be holding onto it until it doesn’t.”
“What? No-”
“Izuku. My decision is final. I know what’s best for you, and what’s best for you right now is to forget all of these silly stories.”
“You wouldn’t say this to Tomura about his games!”
“Tomura is old enough to make decisions on his own. You are not,” Shigaraki retorts, “stay in your room. I’ll have Kurogiri bring you dinner.”
Izuku frowns as the mayor leaves his room, shutting the door tightly behind him. Izuku scrambles off of his bed, looking out his window just in time to see Aizawa’s car driving away. He sniffled, moving towards his bookshelf and taking a different book off the shelf. This one wasn’t nearly as interesting, mostly because it was completely fictional, unlike the book that was now in his adoptive father’s possession. As he sat back down on his bed, he found himself unable to focus on the story, tossing the book next to him as he lied on his back staring at the ceiling.
After a few moments, he went to his window, sitting in front of it and looking out at the clock tower. It still hadn’t moved, but that wasn’t what was on Izuku’s mind.
All he could think about was how to get Aizawa to believe him. If he believed, they would only be that much closer to breaking the curse and saving everyone. But...he supposed it was too late. Aizawa was leaving, and the thought made the kid frown, resting his chin on his arms as he gazed outside.
Aizawa made his way to a nearby inn, having made up his mind that driving during the night would be a bad idea. He needed proper rest if he wanted to make the journey back home. Something else nagged at his mind more than that though. He knew his mind was already made up when it came to going home.
He walked up the steps, hesitating before he decided to go in. Upon entering, he heard two people arguing as they came down the stairs.
“Look, it’s not my fault that you didn’t find any other job but this. At least I’m teaching! I’m keeping our heads above water.”
“Oh sure, act like I haven’t done anything.”
“Excuse me?” Aizawa interrupted, starting to feel a headache coming on from the bickering. His eyes widened a little as he saw who was in front of him.
“Well, if isn’t Shouta,” Nemuri says with a smile, “What brings you here?”
“You know him? Don’t tell me you-”
“What?! No way, Hizashi. We met earlier today at the school, and no offense Shouta, but you’re not quite my type.”
“Okay...anyway, I’d like a room,” Aizawa replied, he just wanted to get this night over with.
“Alright!” Hizashi replied, going over to a podium, “what kind of view you want? A city view, square view?”
“Square is fine.”
“Awesome! And Nemuri said your name was Shouta?” Hizashi said, getting ready to write down the man’s name.
“Yes. Shouta Aizawa,” he replied, watching the odd man. There it was again, that feeling that he knew him. Amnesia sucked.
“Shouta Aizawa.”
A new voice spoke his name and he turned slightly to look at a man with a surgical mask on his face, gold eyes locked on him.
“That’s an interesting name. Seems like it suits you,” the newcomer continued.
“Thanks?” Aizawa wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that.
Hizashi wastes no time in handing rolled up bills wrapped in a rubber band to the man. “It’s all here, take it.”
“Of course it is.” The man takes the money from Hizashi, regarding Aizawa again before speaking.
“You enjoy your stay...Shouta.”
Soon after, the man leaves without another word.
“Who was that?” Aizawa asked, looking at Hizashi. The man doesn’t get a chance to answer, for Nemuri beats him to it, looking outside as she does so.
“Kai Chisaki. He owns this place.”
“The inn?” Aizawa questions, turning to look at Hizashi as he answers.
“No...the city.”
The two exchange a glance before Hizashi snaps out of it with a big smile.
“How long you gonna be with us, dude?”
“Hizashi,” Nemuri scolds.
“What? He seems chill.”
“I’m staying for a week,” Aizawa replies, smiling only slightly at Hizashi. He seriously couldn’t shake the feeling that he knew him somehow, and he couldn’t understand why it was so much worse with him than it was with the other two.
“Great!” Hizashi exclaims before grabbing a room key and handing it to Aizawa. “Welcome to Musutafu.”
Back at the mayor’s home, Izuku watches as the clock hand finally moves, and a bright smile crosses onto his face.
He’s staying. He’s really staying! The boy thought with glee. Perhaps everything was going to be alright.