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The breeze blew softly, loose strands of your hair following the patterns of the wind, while your legs dangled off the edge of the Hero Public Safety Commission’s roof. The tears that littered your face the last time you were up here now gone. This time there was no feeling, as you pressed your chest against the metal rail of the roof.
A thud echoed, as the roof entrance shut, a disheveled-looking black-haired man entering your place of solace.
“Mr. Aizawa?” You questioned. It had been years since you had seen the man, last at the end of your final internship, when he handed you the diploma that led you to this life. His existence hadn’t crossed your mind since then, you assumed he had continued teaching while you passed and were forgotten.
“Oh, you are up here. It’s been many a year since I saw you last. How have you been?”
“Oh, I’m okay,” you lied, plastering a smile across your face “I just needed some fresh air.”
“Hmm,” he fidgeted with a loose strand of his hair, “fresh air leaning over the roof of the highest building in town. Wouldn’t you have been able to achieve the same on the balconies or the ground?”
Crap… you had to think up something. After all, you couldn’t have your professor know what a failure you had become.
“I guess so sir, but this keeps the fans away.”
“I see.” He sat beside you, “You want to know something?”
“What is it?”
“You look away from people when you lie. I picked up on it during the first week of your internship. So, are you going to tell me what’s going on, or will I have to use my capture weapon to prevent you from jumping?”
You were stunned. How did he know that you were up here for that? You had always been very good at masking these feelings, at keeping a good face for the public even whenever you wanted to blow your brains out knowing you couldn’t save everyone, yet he saw right through it all. There was no escape, you had to confess.
Taking a deep breath, you began “A little boy came up to me, said I was his favorite hero. Really sweet, as always. But then whenever I pulled him in for a hug and picture, he whispered something to me.”
Losing focus for a second, you remembered his tiny arms wrapped around your shoulders as you squatted down. You remember the way he puffed his cheeks before giving you a confession, so that the second the camera clicked, your smile fell away.
“He told me of how his father beats him. How his siblings that didn’t inherit their parents’ quirks were neglected. The way he was trained to the point of exhaustion, and how he ran away from his mom at the store when he saw me because he knew I was a ‘real hero’ and that I could save him.”
“And what did you do?” Aizawa questioned, hoping you acted rationally. Over all the time he knew you, he learned all about your thought process, the polarization of good and evil. He knew given your past that you felt the only way to escape your situation was to become the opposite of your parents, and work to save everyone. He saw the devastated looks you’d give, knowing how many people died during the fights. You were soft and sensitive, something that usually dies out in a hero during their first few battles. But you, you held on to those compassionate urges, and honestly, it terrified him the extent you’d go to to ensure peace.
“I didn’t do anything Aizawa. I promised that little boy I’d help him, and I tried my damnedest. I went to the police, and they said without proof or details they couldn’t help, I went to investigate his family but they were completely normal on the outside, I went to the commission, and you know what they told me? They said if I wanted to get so invested in every story a child told me, I might as well resign right there. I promised him I’d help him!” You slammed your hand on the railing, becoming aware of the tears trailing down your face, before croaking out, “I promised I’d help him.”
“A long time ago, I dealt with a very similar situation.” The confession made his voice shake, “One of my closest friends was working with me at an agency as an intern. We both were attacked by a villain and to save a school full of kids, he lost his life. We promised each other we’d be heroes, that we would help people. But I couldn’t even help him defeat a villain to save his life. Hero work is difficult, if you have a soul, it will eat away at you slowly. I’ve had women die in my arms, kids slaughtered in an attempt to challenge me, and innocent lives lost by the dozen. For what? So I can entertain the audience with my flashy quirk? I’ve broken many a promise and lost many a life in this line of work. But I’ve saved and helped many, many more. I always knew you’d be challenged by your morals. But I need you to stay with us.” Aizawa opened his palm, hoping you’d connect with him.
“I can’t live with myself, Aizawa. If I have to sleep one more night only to wake up to the terrified screams of the little boy in my nightmares, it’ll drive me insane.”
“Let me help you.” Aizawa reached out for your hand, moving you further away from the edge.
“What?” You were shocked by his confidence. After all of the rejections, you thought this day would never come.
“Let me help you. I can’t guarantee justice for everyone, but we will find this kid, and we will make sure he is safe. When he is old enough, I’ll make sure he gets into UA, where he will be protected from the outside world. But in the meantime, let’s help him.”
“Aizawa-sensei, I…” you began, unsure how to respond.
“There are many lives we can’t save, but the innocence of a child must be protected. I promise you, I will keep him safe.” Interlocking his pinky with yours, you buried your face in his sweater, tears staining your skin.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you.”
“Just promise me this,” you looked up to his stern glance, nodding while you dried your tears, “promise me I’ll never catch you on the rooftops. Even though you are a hotshot hero now, you are still one of my students in my mind. And I’d die before I’d ever see you hurt yourself like this.”
“I promise.” You declared, knowing you could hold on with a hero like him by your side.
“Good, now what about we schedule coffee once a week, just to check in, alright? It’ll comfort me knowing you are okay, and have someone to talk to.”
“Absolutely sir. And in the meantime, we can figure out more about this boy. I want to save him.”
Nodding quickly, before offering you a hand to stand up, Aizawa held you close as your breath returned to a steady pace. Grabbing the door to head downstairs, a thought passed through your head.
“I appreciate all you have said sir, and what you are willing to do… but I’m confused. Why did you come up here to look for me? The only time people come to the top of these tall buildings is whenever they are…”
“Yes.” Aizawa abruptly cuts you off, “Whenever they wish to end things. And as much as I want to say I knew you were up here and came to stop you, that was purely coincidental.”
Shock passing over you, the scars on Aizawa’s arm with his sleeve pulled up became more apparent.
“So you…”
“Yes,” he said, putting an arm around your waist, “I was going to.”
┈━ ◇ ━┈
“But now I have something to live for.”