Chapter Text
The sun was shining through the classroom’s windows. It was barely spring but the temperature was rising every day by a lot, and the snow outside melted away in only two days.
Shouta looked tiredly through the room with his students.
his eyes scanning over the faces of his students. The warm spring weather seemed to have sapped their energy too, as they sat slouched in their chairs, their attention drifting elsewhere.
Shouta's eyes settled on Ochaco, her usually buoyant demeanor subdued. She looked out the window, her mind clearly drifting elsewhere.
Then there was Todoroki, who sat calmly with an air of detachment.
As Shouta continued to scan the room, he noticed Momo, the intelligent and resourceful student who always demonstrated leadership qualities. However, even Momo appeared drained, her normally sharp eyes displaying signs of exhaustion.
One by one, Shouta's gaze fell upon each student, recognizing the same weariness that plagued them all.
He couldn’t blame them, after all, he felt the same way.
Who in their right mind would feel happy when one of their friends would go missing?
He looked at the clock on the wall, still 20 minutes left of class. Maybe he should talk with his students during the time left, to see if they have any concerns or questions.
He cleared his throat before speaking “Does anyone have any questions about classes? or training?”.
Of course, no one did have questions about that.
They wanted to ask about their missing friend.
Tsuyu was the first one to talk. “Any updates on Midoriya’s situation, sensei? He’s been missing for over 4 months”.
Shouta moved his eyes to the floor. No one knew anything about the kid. Not after he suddenly vanished.
"I understand your concerns, Tsuyu," Shouta replied, his voice filled with empathy. "But unfortunately, we still have no new information about Midoriya's situation. We have been working closely with the authorities and conducting thorough investigations, but it's been challenging."
The classroom fell into a somber silence.
While they missed their friend.
Shouta missed his son.
After so many months there was no way Izuku could still be alive, but he still lingered on that childish hope, that maybe, he’s fine.
He looked at the clock once again before getting up, it was time to leave.
"Class dismissed," he announced softly, "Remember to take care of yourselves and support one another during this difficult time. We will continue our efforts to find Midoriya, and I'll update you if there are any developments."
The students slowly gathered their belongings, their faces etched with a mix of sorrow and hope. Shouta's heart ached as he watched them leave, their footsteps echoing in the now-empty classroom.
Alone in the room, Shouta let out a heavy sigh. He walked over to the window, gazing out at the bright spring day.
Everyone missed Izuku.
He should leave too, he has work when he gets home, and he has to start grading the test papers.
With a heavy heart, Shouta finally tore his gaze away from the window and made his way to his desk. As he gathered the test papers, his mind couldn't help but make him stop to look at the room he was in.
The sound of his students' laughter, once so vibrant and full of life, now felt distant. The void left by Izuku's absence cast a shadow over the classroom, leaving an indelible mark on their collective spirit.
Enough of this, he had to get to his apartment. He locked the door behind him when he left.
As he walked along the familiar path that led to his apartment, his mind remained fixated on the absence of the boy.
The hopes and fears intertwined within him, an endless battle between believing in a miracle and succumbing to the cruel reality that Izuku might never return.
The streets were alive with the sights and sounds of the city, people going about their daily lives, seemingly unaffected by the pain that Shouta carried.
It felt as if the world continued to turn, oblivious to the anguish that consumed him.
So many days and still not one update on the situation.
Izuku couldn’t just vanish without a trace.
There had to be something that everyone is missing.
Upon reaching his apartment, Shouta let out another heavy sigh, the weight of the day settling even deeper within him.
He stepped into his dimly lit living room, its stillness mirroring the emptiness he felt inside.
“Hey Shouta, you alright?” Yamada asked.
Oh yeah, his husband was home this whole week.
“I’m alright” No, he wasn’t.
Both of them knew that, but Hizashi decided to not push it. “Alright, let’s go eat dinner then, I tried a new recipe”.
He stepped into his dimly lit living room, its stillness mirroring the emptiness he felt inside. The thought of sharing a meal brought a glimmer of comfort amidst the chaos of their circumstances.
Yamada placed a plate of food in front of Shouta, a fragrant aroma wafting up from the dish. Shouta took a bite, savoring the flavors that Yamada had skillfully brought together. For a moment, the worries and uncertainties were momentarily set aside as they shared a simple meal together.
“It’s good”
Yamada hummed in response.
Suddenly Aizawa’s phone began to ring.
Naomasa Tsukauchi
Tsukauchi? What did he want at this hour?
He quickly answered the call, bringing the device to his ear. "Tsukauchi, what's going on?" Shouta asked, his voice laced with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.
There was a brief pause on the other end before Tsukauchi's voice filled Shouta's ear. "Shouta, we might have a lead on Midoriya's disappearance. It's not much, but-”
beep beep beep
No.
The call ended.
What happened? Did Nomasa lose signal?
Shouta's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at his phone, disbelief and frustration coursing through him.
What was Tsukauchi trying to tell him? Did he lose signal or was something else at play?
What was Tsukauchi trying to tell him? Did he lose signal or was something else at play?
Without wasting another second, Shouta dialed Tsukauchi's number back, hoping to reestablish the connection and get the information he so desperately needed.
However, all he got was a series of beeps indicating that the number was unreachable.
He clenched his fists.
He needed answers, and he needed them now. Leaving his half-finished meal on the table, Shouta swiftly grabbed his coat and headed out the door, ignoring the shouts of his husband.
He had to go to the station, he has to find him.
As he entered the police station, Shouta's eyes scanned the bustling environment, searching for any sign of Tsukauchi. He approached an officer at the front desk, his voice steady but urgent.
"I need to speak with Naomasa Tsukauchi immediately," Shouta said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The officer glanced up at Shouta I'm sorry, but Tsukauchi isn't available at the moment. Can I help you with something?"
Shouta's frustration simmered beneath the surface, but he maintained his composure. "It's regarding the lead on Midoriya's disappearance.”
I understand your concern, but I'm afraid I don't have access to that information. However, I can try to reach Tsukauchi for you and ask him to get in touch as soon as possible."
Shouta nodded, his impatience still palpable. "Please do. I must speak with him as soon as possible."
After a few tense moments, he hung up the phone and turned back to Shouta. “I’m sorry but it seems the call failed or that Tsukauchi has his phone close.”
Shouta's frustration intensified at the news. It seemed like every attempt to get information about the lead on Izuku's disappearance was met with obstacles.
The officer offered him a smile “But I’ll send a message to you as soon as I get a lead to where Tsukauchi is”
Aizawa nodded in response before quickly leaving the building.
He made his way back to the apartment and threw open the door, making his husband jump in surprise. he paced back and forth, unable to sit still.
Yamada watched him with concern, his gaze filled with understanding.
“Got any leads?"
Shouta nodded “Naomasa got something but no one seems to be able to reach him, it’s like he vanished without a trace”
That sounds familiar.
The same thing he said about Midoriya.
Yamada's eyes widened with concern as he processed Shouta's words. "Wait, you mean Tsukauchi has also disappeared? This is getting stranger by the minute.”
The disappearance of both Izuku and Tsukauchi was too coincidental to ignore. "I don't know, Hizashi. It's hard to make sense of it all.”
Hizashi looked sympathetically at him “Maybe we should go to sleep, Shouta” He placed a hand on his husband’s shoulder “It’s late”.
Shouta nodded in agreement ”Maybe tomorrow will bring some answers."
Yamada gently guided Shouta toward their bedroom, his touch comforting in the face of uncertainty. Shouta changed into his sleepwear, slipping under the covers as Hizashi joined him, wrapping his arms around him in a soothing embrace.
As they lay there, silence enveloped the room, broken only by the steady rhythm of their breathing, Aizawa fell asleep.