Chapter Text
Even before the villain he was chasing had cornered him in a deserted alley, Aizawa was already having a rotten day.
He was woken up unceremoniously by his neighbours, who were blasting up their revolting taste in music so early in the morning. The cafe he usually frequents was still closed when he passed by after leaving his apartment (he wasn't able to return to his sleep again). While he was doing his patrol around Naruhata, a bird unexpectedly pooped on his hair and shoulder. Even his jelly pouch was knocked out of his hands by a pedestrian in a hurry.
Yeah, if he was going to rank this day, it'd be a -10/10.
And now, staring at the face of a huge villain who is obviously under the influence of the drug Trigger —with his right shoulder dislocated and his head probably suffering from a concussion — he had to wonder if the stakes are really against him today or if it's really his fate to die alone in that alley.
Even his Erasure quirk can't do anything to faze the villain in front of him. Its brute strength is just too damn strong. He had strategized and analysed until he couldn't stand up anymore. Clutching his arm closer to his chest, he can only utter a single thought: At least there are no civilians nearby.
He can't even expect backup in this part of the town. The alley is too hidden and secluded. He lured the villain away from the people but ended up getting hurt alone. His stamina and energy depleted, he could only sit and watch as the enemy withdrew one of its hands in preparation to deliver its final punch.
I guess this is it. The end of the line for me.
Already accepting his fate, he decided to go down staring at the eyes of the villain who finally did him in. He definitely didn't expect to be suddenly restrained and yanked away from the villain towards a low rooftop by a binding cloth. Is that mine? No, he can feel his own capture weapon still around his neck. A hero? But who?
Looking weakly at the face of his savior, all he can see is a face covered by a black mask from their nose downwards; except for their startling blue eyes. In a quick assessment, he saw short, black hair framing the small face of the unknown hero. All they are wearing is a nondescript black top, leather jacket, and pants. Small, fingerless gloves-laden hands were supporting his frail body as they set him down. Their capture weapon (much like his own), slackens around him as his savior stands up to prepare in engaging the villain.
"Wait," Aizawa croaked as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. "I don't know what your quirk is, but it'll be easier if we work together to bring him down".
The unknown hero looked at him unblinkingly, staring intensely as he cradled his dislocated shoulder and upwards towards his bleeding forehead.
Aizawa knows that he will probably end up dying anyway if he tries to fight that villain again in his condition, but he sure as hell is not backing down in this fight now. He'll finish what he started and deliver this villain, or die trying.
As if life wasn't finished surprising him that day yet, the unknown hero in front of him merely shook their head and placed their palm gently in front of his wounded face.
He was too stunned to even react.
"Sleep," they said in a low — but most definitely feminine — soft voice.
Out of his own volition, his body seems to be shutting down because of that simple command.
The last thing he saw was startling blue eyes looking down at him with worry as the unknown person gently set him down on the floor.
--
Ayako was just doing a final sweep around Naruhata's alleys before going home when she heard and felt a commotion in a secluded area.
It wasn't really uncommon for skirmishes like this to happen in these hidden alleys. That's why she always does a final patrol before turning in for the day.
Expanding the area of her quirk, she detected two individuals. One filled with confusion, turmoil, anger. The other; with pain, resentment, rage, and underneath it all — extreme grief and hopelessness.
An unfortunate drawback whenever she uses her quirk is that whatever feelings and emotions she detects from people, she can feel all of it intensely as if everything they're feeling and everything they've been through happened to her.
Shaking her head and fighting off the urge to cry because of the strong emotions she detected, she hurried towards the scene. Her resolve made, she rushed to save and help the individuals she sensed.
Using her binding weapon, she flung herself upwards to take shortcuts in the low rooftops of the alley. Having memorised all the nooks and crannies around Naruhata for doing hero work in that area for so long, she arrived on the scene in no time and her eyes blew wide open at what she saw.
Eraser Head, staring up at the villain as if he already accepted his fate.
She wasted no time and used her binding cloth to retrieve the wounded hero towards her. Loosening her weapon around him, she helped him lean on the wall and stood up after.
If he wasn't so wounded and battered right now, Ayako might have fangirled all over him.
Even in his roughed up state, he still offered to help her take down the villain. At that moment, she knew. She wasn't wrong in choosing him to be her inspiration. He is a true hero through and through.
She felt bad using her quirk on him, but if he were to survive that day, he needs to take it easy and let other heroes such as herself take the wheel sometime.
As she set down the sleeping form of the other hero, she looked at him with worry and newfound determination.
She stepped away from Eraser Head and looked down at the villain who was staring at them with fury in his eyes. Activating her quirk, she detected that the confusion and anger are still there. Remembering that some of the users of Trigger she apprehended returned to their normal state — or at least as normal as they can get — she decided to save both Mr. Eraser Head and the enemy in front of her.
Her decision made, Ayako jumped away from the rooftop and engaged the villain, it's agony reverberating inside her heart.