Aizawa stalks into his apartment, kicks off his shoes and tosses his jacket onto the back of his couch, hating the stuff feeling of the rarely worn suit. It's nearly three am and he's far more irritated than he thought he would be. As much as he loathed press conferences and the like, it had been a necessary diversion, not only for the Villain Alliance, but also for the public so that a hastily put together team of heroes could advance to the location of their missing student.
He walks into the kitchen tugging at and nearly ripping the his tie, and grabs a beer from his near empty fridge. He cracks it open before heading to the bathroom to heat up the shower.
It had been one thing to stand in front of the cameras and listen to the redundant questions and criticisms of him, but those damn vipers (because that's exactly what he thought of the press) crossed the line when those opinions had been directed at his missing student. He'd almost lost his cool and had it not been for the looming glare of the principal beside him, he just might have. That had only been the beginning of his irritations.
The man removes his clothes, not caring that they'll get wrinkled on the floor and takes another drink. Aizawa hated to drink alone, but it was late and the world was currently in a tear about the events of the evening.
Before he steps into the shower, Aizawa stops in front of the mirror and eyes the scars he's received protecting his kids. He realizes that after this last attack at the camp, he's received none which leaves a bitter taste in his mouth since so many students had been hurt that night.
He scowls at his reflection and steps under the water, hissing and shivering at the sudden change in temperature. Standing there with the water running down his body, he thinks back to what he, and likely the rest of the world, witnessed as All Might fought the supposed leader of the Villain Alliance. He, like the rest of the staff at UA, knew that his health had been declining and he wasn't able to much hero work these days. But now the entire world knew and while he had never agreed with the man's reckless behavior and always had criticising thoughts about him, he couldn't help but wonder what the immediate future held.
The man had exhausted every ounce of strength to defeat that villain and Aizawa knew that at this point, he'd have to publically announce his retirement. Where was that going to leave him? What kind of position was the school going to be put in?
"You're next," he mumbles as he massages shampoo through his tangled hair. "What the hell could he have possibly meant?" Aizawa knows that All Might did many overzealous things, but the man rarely spoke in such a cryptic manner. Those words had been directed at someone specific and he couldn't help but wonder who he'd been speaking to in that moment.
Aizawa tries to push the thought from his head only for it to be replaced by the fear of him losing his position at the school. Leaning his head forward and allowing the water to run through his hair, he sighs in relief knowing that he wasn't going to lose his job. The principle didn't explain why he'd been allowed to keep his job, but he knew that he, like the other teachers and possibly students, were suspect to leaking information to the enemy thus endangering the students' lives.
Right now though, he doesn't care about all that. He's just happy that he gets to remain at the school because not only had he grown used to the lifestyle after years of teaching at UA, he didn't trust anyone to watch over and guide those students of his. He's also the only one who knows how to punish them properly for their actions, because he knows that a group of them took matters into their own hands and broke the rules once again. He doesn't care that it reflects badly on him as their teacher. And though he might be a little impressed that they were able to get out with any injuries, it doesn't change the fact that they stepped out of line once again and put themselves in the middle of the danger.
They're smart kids and after the handful of months that they'd spent at UA and what they've experienced, he expects better from them. He intends to make it known just how lucky they are to be getting away with almost no punishment from him because of All Might's imminent retirement. Of course there hasn't been an official statement yet, but it's obvious as to what's coming. Aizawa plans to use the man's final act as a hero as a reminder to his kids that their actions have consequences.
Aizawa faces the water and lets it beat against his face. He can feel sleep creeping up on him, but he knows that it's not likely he'll actually be able to fall asleep. No matter how tired he always seems to be, he can never simply fall asleep at night. He's been up for roughly forty-eight hours straight and though it's nothing new to him, he's dead tired and needs to rest given what's going to be happening with the school over the next several days.
When the water starts to run cold, he steps out and finishes his beer before throwing on a pair of sweatpants. Alarm set to go off in three hours, Aizawa climbs into bed and closes his eyes, hoping that he's able to get some rest before heading to school for a day of meetings that will be mostly just the principal droning on about changes that he's no doubt made.
Toshi's eyes slowly crack open, his vision blurry and unable to focus on anything in the darkened room. He blinks in time with the all too familiar beep of the heart monitor before wiggling the damn thing off his finger. His body is beginning to throb; whatever painkillers he'd been given are wearing off. He thinks about calling a nurse for more but decides against it, knowing that once someone comes in he won't be able to rest anymore, and right now he just want to be alone.
The Symbol of Peace is no more and Toshi might as well be called a failure because what use is he if he can't fight? If he can't protect anyone anymore? His mind is swimming with too many questions and he's feeling drowsy despite waking up only minutes ago. There is too much that still needs to be done and he knows that he is in no condition (nor will he be anytime soon, if at all again) to do anything. He closes his eyes for but a moment only to snap them open when memories of the previous night flood his mind.
He doesn't want to see that. He knows the truth but that doesn't make it any easier for him to accept. He's know for years that fight would be his last and while he'd accepted that long ago, seeing young Midoriya there last night made him want to see this evil be done with so that the boy wouldn't have to take on that burden. It was his last act as a hero and he still failed. Shigaraki, his master's grandson, is still out there.
Toshi casts his self-pity aside. Though it is certain that he must retire, that doesn't mean he'll sit idly by and wait for Shigaraki to move. No, Toshi plans to find him and keep his successor from having to deal with his personal issues. As he lays in the dark, Toshi can feel just how weak his body has become. He knows that he should probably be dead but he refuses to give in. Thinking about what's spurring him on, exhaustion envelopes and pulls him into a fitful sleep.
The next time he wakes up is when Recovery Girl stops by. She has very little to say to the man, only warning him that she will be checking in regularly to make sure that he's eating properly and taking his medications. Toshi hates pills almost as much as he hates hospitals, but now that his body is literally hanging by a thread he agrees to start taking the vitamins and supplements that he'll be given in addition to whatever is being prescribed to him. In order to show him that she's serious, he heals him just enough to allow him to leave the hospital that night after he's rested for the day.
By noon, Gran Torino and Tsukauchi arrive, the later bringing him something light that isn't hospital food. Toshi laments that the last flames within him have gone out. That the Symbol of Peace is dead. Still, there is more that he needs to do.
"Shimura's grandson, huh..." Toshi's mentor ponders.
"But that's just what he claimed. There's no definitive proof, is there?" Tsukauchi counters. "Did neither of you have any contact with the previous generation?" he asks next, looking between the men.
Toshi remains silent and looks to his mentor as he explains to the detective that after Shimura's husband passed, she gave her son up to foster care in order to distance the boy from the hero life. She'd instructed both he and Toshi that under no circumstance were either of them to make any form of contact with the boy.
"So by keeping your promise to her, this happens. How awful," the detective says.
"My master parted with her own flesh and blood to ensure a life of peace... I have to find Shigaraki. If I do-"
"Absolutely not." Toshi looks to his mentor after he's been interrupted. "Just what do you plan to do once you find him? His lineage doesn't make him innocent, Toshinori. He's still a criminal at the end of the day."
He's forced to think about his mentor's words, causing his face to become doleful. He doesn't know what he'd do. Being his master's blood, he wants to save him. But that's just him being naive. The man is a criminal through and through, and too many of those close to Toshi have been hurt because of him.
Torino takes the man's silence as a clear indication that he understands there is no saving Shigaraki. He instructs Toshi to remain a teacher at UA and give everything he has to Midoriya, reminding him that he should have already been doing that. Meanwhile, he will assist Tsukauchi in searching for Shigaraki and the Villain Alliance.
Toshi's mentor is right and he feels a bit ashamed, knowing that he should have remained more devoted to the boy's growth rather than protecting him. Midoriya is more than just his successor, he's become Toshi's life line. Since meeting the boy, he's been able to fight and push through each day because of him.
For him, that boy has been a glimmer of hope for the future and now he intends to make sure that the entire world is able to see what he does. After he scolds the boy properly for taking matters into his own hands again. Goodness, does he not realize that that his actions reflect on others? Toshi manages to smile at that thought, thankful for the boy's presence in his life.
Aizawa can barely stay awake through the morning's meeting, having to be jostled awake more than once by Mic. His friend gives him a questioning look to which Aizawa just shakes his head. Those handful of hours he'd been in bed were spent tossing and turning while he drifted in and out of sleep.
He's still drifting but he's alert enough to hear what's being said by everyone. During the time he and Blood were giving their statements to the police, the other staff members were deciding how best to ensure the students safety from here on out. It had also been made quite obvious that there was a traitor among them. He'd heard that Mic had gotten an earful from some of the staff members for making such an accusation, but had Aizawa been present he would have said very much the same thing.
In order to both protect the students and attempt to expose said traitor, the principal presents them with the idea to convert from a traditional school into a boarding school. Everyone, including the students, are suspect and would be under watch. This would allow the teachers to be able to watch over the students outside of school hours while also being watched themselves. Now the principal doesn't say any of this out loud to the teachers, but they all know that they're under suspicion. Including him.
Just because he'd been supervising the students when they were attacked didn't make him exempt. Though Aizawa can't help but wonder just what all is going through the mammal's mind. One would think that due to what transpired at the USJ several months ago, how he had been close to falling victim to the Villain Alliance, he'd be overlooked, but that's a civilian's way of thinking.
Aizawa wakes up a little more when All Might is mentioned. He and the other staff are informed that the man is indeed retiring and will be making a public announcement the following day. That being said, he will remain a teacher at UA. Aizawa is reminded of something that often crosses his mind: Why exactly did he come to teach at UA in the first place?
It really isn't his business, which is why he's never asked, but that doesn't stop him from wondering. Again, he knew the man to be outrageous and overzealous in how he did things, but he rarely did things just because he could. There was a reason for his coming to UA and a reason for staying even though he was retiring.
After sitting and listening to the principal for hours, Aizawa is ready to go home and finally rest because staying up just isn't possible any longer. Unfortunately for him, the principal asks to speak with him in private. He follows the mammal to his office, eyes drooping the entire time, where Recovery Girl is waiting for the two of them.
"I take it your sleeping troubles have returned," she comments when he just about trips over himself.
Aizawa merely shrugs. "It's not like they've ever gone away."
The woman frowns at his statement and turns her attention to the principal who has since settled himself at his desk.
"Eraserhead, there's something I need you to do," he says directly. Aizawa fixes his eyes on the principal's dour expression then looks over to see Recovery Girl wearing a similar one. "I can't force you to do anything, but it would be greatly appreciated if we could trust a certain favor with you."
That's what he was waiting for. The principal had a way to drag things outs and distract a person from the topic only to rope them into agreeing to something without even realizing it. It was a dirty trick that unfortunately worked all too well on idiots. Aizawa could admit that he'd even been caught in one of his traps before, but for whatever reason he was on high alert at the moment wasn't going to fall prey to the mammal.
"What is it you two need?" he asks, knowing that the nurse wouldn't be present otherwise.
He watches a wry grin appear on the principal's face as he knows he's been caught. "I can see that you're tired so I'll get straight to the point." Aizawa's eyes slip closed and his head droops forward for a second before he catches himself. "As you know, the teachers will of course be housed on campus as well. The building for you all has been designed so that there will be two of you to a floor."
Aizawa already knew all this, but lets him continue on explaining until Recovery Girl clears her throat. "Right," the mammal says, "You will be sharing a floor with All Might." This causes Aizawa to raise an eyebrow at the statement.
"What I'd like to ask from you, young man," the nurse starts. "Is that since you've worked the closest with him since his arrival here, is to keep an eye on him."
"How so exactly?" he questions, not entirely sure what they're expecting of him.
"That man has a habit of not taking care of himself properly, forgetting to eat and such, like someone else I know," she adds causing him to roll his eyes. "I'm not asking you to police him, that's my job during the day. I expect that he'll spend most of his time at home resting since I'll be making sure that he's too exhausted to do anything but for the next several weeks."
Aizawa just sighs, curious as to why he of all people is being asked to do this. Thinking about it, were they to ask him several months prior, he'd have denied them without hesitation. And that was just it, Aizawa had to think about his decision this time. He thought that having the man around and keeping him updated on the students' progress could be used to drive their efforts further. The downside, was that he didn't exactly know what kind of man All Might was outside of teaching, though given that the two of them haven't always gotten along in the past Aizawa doubted that he'd be too annoying.
After another moment he glanced at both individuals. "Alright, I'll help."
"We really do appreciate this, Eraserhead," the principal says and bows his head.
"I'm going home now," Aizawa announces after acknowledging the mammal.
"You won't make it home," Recovery Girls chides. "Go rest in the infirmary," she calls just as the door closes. Aizawa weighs his options, deciding to accept her offer since it's closer than his apartment.
That same evening, Toshi is standing on the beach waiting for his charge and stares out over the water. The soft ebb and flow of the waves ease his mind a bit as he thinks about how he's able to do this because of Midoriya's efforts. This is where their journey began. He didn't think that he could be more proud of the boy, but when he hears him call his name and Toshi turns to look at him he knows that just isn't true.
"You're finally here," he calls, waving to the boy and forming a fist. When Midoriya gets close enough, Toshi lands a clean his to the boy's cheek, knocking him down only because he didn't see it coming.
"Dammit..." he pulls his hand back and shakes away the pain. He probably shouldn't have done that, but the boy deserved it. "You really have a hard time listening, don't you?" he questions, his face serious. The boy holds his cheek and looks up at him, confusion and worry written all over his face.
Toshi sighs. "I called you because I wanted you to hear it from me first. I'm retiring, my boy. My body is no longer in any condition to fight anymore. The last embers of One For All have gone out."
Midoriya remains silent, not knowing what he can possibly say. That's okay, though. Toshi can see that he understands exactly what all this means.
"Besides all that, you... every time manage to get in the mix of things and break your body no matter how many times that you're told," he scolds, causing the boy to flinch slightly. He can see the tears welling up in his eyes and Toshi has to take a deep breath to control his own emotions. "Which is why when I saw you there last night and witnessed you getting away without getting hurt, I was incredibly happy."
He crouches down and reaches out to the boy, drawing him close. "From here on out, I'm devoting everything I have left to your development, my boy. Despite my condition, we'll do our best together, okay?" Midoriya clutches Toshi's shirt and he holds him tighter. The boy still needs to stop being such a crybaby, but he doesn't say anything in that moment because he's unable to keep his own tears at bay. He just wishes that he knew if they were of joy because the boy was safe or apprehension of the future.
Hey guys! Thanks for reading Ch 1 of Twisting Fate! This is my first EraserMight fic so I really hope you enjoyed it. There's plenty more to come to this piece as well as others that I have planned for this ship. Leave a review if ya can spare one as I'd love to hear what you think!