Chapter Text
Yagi had faced down some of the worlds worst villains, and did it all with a smile. But he had to admit he was nervous. He didn’t actually even have a teaching license. Nedzu “knew he would make a fine teacher” but Yagi had never actually taught anyone apart from Young Midoriya, although that was a recent development. He took his seat in the staff room as the rat enthusiastically introduced him which…well, he didn’t really need an introduction, but it was really nice to be treated like everyone else for once. He sat stiffly, he missed his padded chair at home and he wondered, not for the first time, if he made the right choice in taking up this teaching position. Initially he took the position to find his new successor amongst Japan’s best hero students. But that seemed a bit silly now, considering he found the best successor he possibly could, and found him under a bridge at that! Wow, that sounds bad...
He looked around at his new colleagues and flashed his ever present and dazzling smile. The vast majority smiled back politely or enthusiastically. A masked man with dreadlocks waved happily. Everyone looked…surprisingly kind. He didn’t know what to expect honestly. He hadn’t interacted much with hero’s in the last few years, except here and there at charity gala’s or during a rare team up. Actually the only one who didn’t seem to be smiling was a man with black hair and dark circles under his eyes. God was this man a teacher? He looked exhausted and grumpy. The school term hadn’t even started yet and he looked that bad? He had a gruff looking beard, he honestly looked a bit unkempt. Yagi smiled wider at the glowering man, trying to get some sort of smile out of him, Yagi would settle for a subtle quirk upwards of his chapped lips. If anything, the man seems to frown more and settled his chin into the light gray scarf settled on his broad shoulders. Despite his frame, the man was a bit gangly honestly and didn’t seem to be packing the extreme muscle of some of the other teachers or hero’s Yagi knew. He wondered what type of quirk the man had, what type of hero he was. Someone coughed and Yagi realized he had essentially been staring the man down.
Next to him a man, the man who coughed, had long blonde hair done up in a ridicul- holy shit was that Present Mic? Yagi was actually a big fan of his radio station. He listened when he was driving. Present Mic (oh my god!) smiled at Yagi widely and turned to the scruffier one- slapping him on the back and whispering something in his ear. The scruffy teacher looked at Yagi again and gave him a tight, obviously fake smile before dropping it again. “Odd” Yagi thought, smiling that trade mark All Might smile before looking down at his meeting notes.
Yagi stared at Aizawa Shota (he soon learnt the name) from behind the corner of the building. The man was just as scraggly as before, if not more so now that he had been introduced to his class. Yagi had yet to meet them but from what Young Midoriya had described the new 1-A class seemed like…..well….. an absolute handful.
Yagi didn’t mean to creep, he just wanted to watch his
son
mentee in the Quirk Assessment Exam. He gripped the brick of the building tightly under his palm, feeling the bite. The poor boy was only just learning how to handle it, Yagi never had a problem using OFA at 100% and he felt guilt in the pit of his stomach knowing Young Midoriya was struggling so much. Yagi observed as his new students attempted all Aizawa’s tests, mainly taking note of areas of improvement for Young Midoriya. Teachers weren’t meant to have favorites but he knew he was fighting a loosing battle. Come on, who wouldn’t see that smiling face and determined grin and just want to get him icecream and tell him how proud you are. Okay Yagi, get it together, you have other students, not just your
son
mentee.
He watched on as Aizawa harshly explained that if Young Midoriya kept breaking his body that he wouldn’t be of any use as a hero. Yagi was normally unphased by a lot of things but this angered him. His boy was learning! Aizawa was a teacher! He could almost see the shine to Young Midoriya’s eyes as he bit back tears and formed a game plan. He watched as his pupil broke the tip of his finger at the last second to send the ball flying. He winced in sympathy but god was he proud, he felt that golden feeling welling up in his chest at the sight of that smart young man. He had chosen right, and Young Midoriya kept proving it to him.
Later as Aizawa approached him he realized he might not have been as stealthy as he thought, damn. He tried to duck back around the building but he was caught. Aizawa walked past him without even looking at him (god, bit passive aggressive) muttering about limelight heroes. So that was his deal, thought he was too good for that? Yagi shook his head, ridding the thought. He had more important things to discuss. He hurried after the scruffy man, his long thick legs able to catch up to the shorter man easily.
“Aizawa” he puffed. Aizawa turned around, his hands in his pockets and eyebrows furrowed- god he looked cool. His hair fluttered a bit in the wind, exposing the sight of his long neck-
“Aizawa, I don’t want to be one to question your teaching style-” Yagi said, trying his best to sound as genuine as possible.
“Good” Aizawa cut him off, turning to leave.
Yagi walked next to him, they were having this conversation. He had taught Young Midoriya for a while now, since he was 14 and he liked to think he knew the boy pretty well. Saw how his self-confidence plummeted when he got something wrong, saw how self deprecating he was, saw how he couldn’t accept a compliment and his voice shook. But he also saw the determination burn in his eyes when Yagi told him “Almost, you almost had it.” How he worked harder and achieved more when Yagi told him he could see how much effort he was putting in. No, Young Midoriya responded best to words of encouragement, and while he didn’t fold when met with criticism, Aizawa wouldn’t see the results he wanted with his current approach.
“-but Young Midoriya strikes me as the sort of student who may not benefit from tough love all the time, he's got some type of anxiety or low-self esteem or something, anyway- and I think harsh words might not motivate him in the way you intend? I’m not saying go easy on him! Not at all! That is to say- uh- some atta-boys could go a long way at building the boys confidence!” Yagi blurted out as quickly as possible, before he could be interrupted. Aizawa paused, he looked down, his eyebrows furrowed even more so if that was possible. He looked almost puzzled for a second, the wind whipping at his hair and scarf.
Quietly the grumpier man said “interesting…I’ll think about it.”
And with that, he walked away. Yagi stood where Aizawa left him, externally not making a move, standing stock still like any movement might make Aizawa change his mind, but inside he was celebrating. Yes! Aizawa didn’t completely shut him down!! Amazing job Yagi you are doing fantastic!
Before he forgot, he texted his protege a congratulations with many emojis - Young Midoryia had taught him how to use them! He was such a clever boy!!
Yagi stretched a little, returning back to the staff room, carrying the bag of snacks he had grabbed from the FamilyMart nearby the UA campus. He normally cooked but he was up all night watching a dumb television series the students had been talking about. He wanted to engage in their interests to see if it could help him find a way to motivate them. Honestly, it was just brain rotting to watch and there is no way he could incorporate it into his teaching. At least he understood their dumb references now. Regardless, said moronic television show had prevented him from slapping together any lunch for himself, and as he wasn’t meeting with Young Midoriya there was no real reason for him to put in the effort - thus - he was looking forward to enjoying his egg sandwiches and meat buns. He also grabbed a warm sweet potato- to be healthy obviously.
As his head was filled with the thought of meat buns he went to slide open the door to the staff room, only to hear voices from inside.
“I hate it” a lazy monotone drawl rang out, although quietly. He recognised it as Aizawa’s instantly.
“Ya hate he was right or ya hate that ya have to be nice?” a slightly higher pitched voice laughed out, it was obvious this person was trying to be quiet and thought that this was quiet but…it obviously wasn’t. Well, that's Mic. for sure.
“Can’t both be true?” Aizawa huffed.
There was a pause and a rustling noise.
“I should have seen it. I think I’m mad I didn’t. I think I hate that he did.” Wow that’s the most he has ever heard the man talk.
“Sho, it’s okay. You just made a mistake in your judgments, it happens to the best of us.” Mic soothed. It was a bit of an odd tone to talk to your friends with but Mic seemed like a very friendly man and the nickname suggested a close friendship.
Who had Aizawa judged wrongly? He selfishly hoped it was him. The way Aizawa had glowered, had walked past him like he was invisible. He obviously hated Yagi right? Or was he coming around to the All Might charm?
“I thought he was an arrogant kid.” He groaned. Ah so his misjudged Young Midoriya, well, Yagi was glad he came to that conclusion at least. “But he’s doing better with the new approach. Fuck I am so annoyed.” Yagi smirked a little. Good, glad you are annoyed, you large angry street cat! Yagi felt a surge of protectiveness rush through him. Young Midoriya had gone from talking about Aizawa like he was kinda scared of him (but also gushing about his quirk), to saying Aizawa was his “second favorite teacher” in just over two weeks. Yagi preened a bit, remembering how when he asked Young Midoriya said HE was his first favorite.
So yeah, he would let Aizawa be annoyed. Served him right. With that Yagi proudly puffed up to his large form and opened the door to the staff room. The two men, who had been pressed shoulder to shoulder in their chairs jumped apart when he entered. Yagi tried not to strut to hard over to his desk chair as he sat down hard. It made a squeaking noise as the trapped air rushed out of the seat and he died a little inside. Mic laughed and he heard a puff of air escape Aizawa’s lips. It sounded a lot like a laugh and Yagi took it as a win. Progress.