Amaurosis Fagux

by mistytales1303

"If I have to undo these bandages and end up in Recovery Girl's office; I'm expelling every last one of you," Aizawa growled. The rising noise immediately cut off. He could hear the desks hastily being scrapped against the tile back into their rightful places in fear. Good. They could use a little jolt of fear.

4. Observations, Of Lack Thereof

My sister helped me a lot with this chapter, bless her soul for helping with dialogue and beta-ing it for me! This chapter is very long (we're talking over 16K so very much on the longer side for me!)

Enjoy~!

Chapter 4: Observations, Or Lack Thereof

Aizawa groaned, turning over in the bed. Yamada's arm latched more tightly around him, pulling him closer. Aizawa sighed, pawing at the edge of the bed for his phone. He wasn't going to be moving quite yet, not that he minded, because Yamada was an excellent bed heater and cuddler. The two for one combo that, in Aizawa's opinion, was the best combination for anyone you could share a bed with. Turning his attention back to the phone, nevermind if no one was going to call him, he felt more secure knowing the phone was charged and ready to receive a call. Call it a habit or paranoia—he was sure Yamada would call it paranoia—he just felt safer with a phone.

He unplugged it and set it down deliberately to snag later once he had actual pants on for the day. With that handled his mind started to wander in his half-awake state. He tempted himself, squeezing his eyes shut very briefly, before trying to open one. The white-hot pain was easier to manage this time; but he still snapped his lids shut with a hiss. The sheer fact he was getting used to the pain was a massive red flag in his mind. Either he was building his pain tolerance up or he was just becoming number to pain in his eyes and that might hold some bad implications. He opted not to worry about it just yet. Recovery Girl could give him another once over before he started to panic.

He brought his hand up to rub at his lids, the arm around his torso tightening again as Yamada shifted.

"Mmm. Shou?" Yamada asked. Aizawa grunted, burying his head in the pillow. Yamada sat up in the bed. "Did you open your eyes?"

"I should never be optimistic," Aizawa mumbled. Yamada gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder and a kiss on his neck. "It's barely been a few days. You need patience. Where's the eye cover? Ah."

Yamada reached over him, snatching it off the bedside table, and gingerly laid it down over Aizawa's hand. After Aizawa had run his fingers through his hair he slipped it on, tying it off as he had the day before, and sat up to stretch. Yamada left to change and shower, leaving Aizawa to map the apartment out to get his own change of clothes. He dug around in his drawer, picking the shirt and pants by feel of the fabric. His wardrobe was largely the same all throughout; he didn't think he had to worry about mismatching anything, and his hero outfit was unique enough he knew what he'd grabbed anyway. By the time Yamada had reemerged, dressed, hair done, and ready for the day save the coffee, Aizawa was waiting bedside.

"I'll see you downstairs?" Yamada asks, and Aizawa took that as a go that he hadn't horribly mismatched his attire. He shot Aizawa a smile.

Aizawa nodded, feeling for his phone. "Get me a coffee?"

"Sure thing, babe~!"

Aizawa heard the door open and shut. He started to search a little more harshly for his phone with one hand while the other grabbed his Capture Weapon and wove it around his neck. Right as he was about to give up the search and call it a day, he felt the phone knock against his finger and then soon after the sound of it falling to the floor with a clatter. Aizawa paused, hand hovering in the air over the mattress, and he felt himself dying a little on the inside. He dropped onto his knees, roving his hand under the bed in wide arcs. After about thirty seconds of fruitlessly pawing the floorboards, he gave up with a heavy sigh.

He'd have to have Yamada get it later. He could last one day without the phone. He was going to despise it, but he could make it. He stood and paused. He then tore the beside drawer open and pawed around the inside of that as well, pulling out the spare phone he'd stuffed in there once the dorms had been built. He technically had three phones—the one he'd just lost, the dorm spare, and his apartment spare. He didn't have time to charge it, but this was better than nothing. He yanked the charger chord from the plug and coiled it before stuffing it in his pocket.

He pocketed the phone quickly after, snatched up the cane, and found his way to the door. He recounted how many steps there were to reach the stairs, tapping the cane along the way to get a feel for how far it truly was. He made it down one flight of stairs before he felt eyes on him. He did not have enough coffee for this already. God above, he could have at least had one mug.

"What?" Aizawa asked curtly.

"Aizawa-sensei."

Ah, Todoroki. Of course, he would be the one up this early on this floor. Aizawa flicked the cane over his shoulder, missing the impressed look as Todoroki followed him to the stairs. "Good morning."

"Good morning, sir."

"Can I expect to find more of you as I get closer to the coffee I'm smelling?" Aizawa asked.

"Most likely, sensei," Todoroki says evenly, tagging perhaps a little too close. A booming voice met them on the next floor.

"Good morning, Aizawa-sensei!"

"Iida."

"He's already up?" Midoriya's voice called from halfway down the stairs. The boy rounded the corner and raced up. "Good morning!"

"Problem Child."

"Told you he'd be fucking fine, can we go now?" Bakugou hissed. Kirishima shot him a disapproving look, having peeked around the corner.

"I can hear you," Aizawa says. Kirishima squawked from below him. Aizawa lowered the cane off his shoulder to lightly thwack Midoriya on the shin. He missed, hitting his thigh instead, but frankly the fact he'd successfully hit him at all was a feat when he was this tired. The boy gave a grunt and hopped on his good leg. "You're blocking the hall, Problem Child."

"S-sorry," Midoriya says, shuffling to the side. Aizawa strode past him. "U-uh, sensei? The stairs are here."

"I'm aware."

"There's no one left on this floor, Aizawa-sensei, I made sure to check," Iida said. Aizawa just hummed and nodded. He stopped at the window. Before any of them could question his motives, he flung the window open and set the cane horizontally across the frame.

"A-Aizawa-sensei?!" Midoriya screeched.

Aizawa wrapped his capture weapon around the cane and hopped out. Midoriya's shocked scream followed him out the window. He felt a small burst of air at his back, but regardless of who exactly had just used their Quirk to arrive at the window, they were smart enough to know not to make a grab for him. Aizawa gripped the scarf in his hand, skidding his heels on the wall as he descended. He could mark the floors as he passed them. He was basing it solely on the speed he knew he'd be travelling at and years of experience jumping off buildings and out of windows. He tightened his grip, the scarf slowing his descent, and soon his feet were hitting the ground. It was a bit of a harsh landing, but he'd had worse and could walk fine, so he counted it as a win. He stood straighter, whipping the capture weapon to loosen and pull the cane out of the window next. He heard a sharp yelp as it smacked someone—probably Midoriya—on its way out.

It landed not far in front of him. He reeled it in, smirking as he layered the capture scarf again around his neck, and dragged his hand along the side of the building until he hit the back patio. His cane hit the concrete patio first, saving him from tripping, and he made the note to really thank Yaoyorozu again for this gift. His hand trailed along the glass of the door until he found the handle. He tried it, surprised when it opened.

"Good morning, Aizawa-sensei…" Tokoyami said slowly. Aizawa fought down the urge to jump, turning more to the boy's voice. At least he knew why it had been unlocked now.

"Tokoyami, what are you doing outside this early?" Aizawa asks.

"What are you doing trailing the building?" Tokoyami asks. Aizawa snorted, turning more towards him.

"Fair enough. What time—"

The door was yanked from his grasp and Aizawa immediately reacted. His hand shot up, catching one of the students in the jaw. Based on the shout that followed, it was Bakugou whose jaw he'd just delivered a palm strike to. Bakugou stumbled back into the dining room table, the reflexive explosion from his palms hitting the wood instead of, say, Aizawa's face. Bakugou held his jaw, glaring at Aizawa, and Kirishima set an arm around his shoulders.

"He didn't know it was you, bro!"

"What the fuck?!"

"You startled me," Aizawa said frankly. He slipped in, stopping short of Bakugou and holding out his hand. "Let me…"

"…"

"Finish that sentence, and I'll end you," Aizawa snapped.

"I didn't say a damn word."

"You wanted to."

"And?" Bakugou asked loudly.

Aizawa dropped his hand and shoved past the group of boys, whacking the legs that wouldn't move fast enough. He didn't care who he did or didn't hit. He wasn't exactly aiming for anybody, but he was fairly certain he recognized two grunts as Todoroki and Midoriya. A third of the class probably had bruises from his cane swinging.

"I take it back," he says bitterly. "I don't care."

"Aw! He admits he cares!" Ashido cried from the kitchen. Damn it all, of course that entire mess had an audience present.

"Did you… when did you get outside? Did you just do what I think you did?" Yamada asked, activating his Quirk to be heard over the sounds of the kitchen in Breakfast Mode.

"He jumped out the fucking window is what he did!" Bakugou screamed. The snitch.

"SHOUTA!"

"Volume," Aizawa drawls. He stopped at the counter, the cane hitting it, and stretched his hand out with a grabbing motion. "Coffee."

"Are you fucking serious?" Yamada asks. He shoved the mug into his hands regardless. Yamada turned to the students then, gaping. Iida looked like he was about to have an aneurysm, stuck between falling into his usual lecture for such language and not saying anything to an authority figure. Yamada whispered, fearfully. "Oh, please forget you heard that."

"Never," Ashido promised immediately as she passed behind him. Yamada let out the most undignified whine. Aizawa ruffled his hair, getting his hand smacked away for his trouble.

"You deserve it," Aizawa says. He'd long since already accepted he couldn't completely hamper the class' swearing. Not with Bakugou in the mix.

"You're too cruel when you're decaffeinated," Yamada whines, burying his head in his arms.

"My morning is steadily switching from bad to good to bad again, I can't really find the energy to care about anything," Aizawa admitted. He held the empty cup out for a refill. Yamada snatched it away harshly.

"Give me a break! I'm still exhausted from the studio shift!" Yamada claimed.

"You're the one who wanted three jobs."

As the two bickered Midoriya slipped past them towards Uraraka whilst dragging Iida behind him. Bakugou and Kirishima stormed around the stools to their respective seats. Midoriya bent down into his seat, setting Iida up in his. He shoved the breakfast bowl along the table to the taller boy.

"Breakfast is important, Iida. You'll need the energy today, we have Ground Beta this morning," Midoriya reminded him. It seemed to snap Iida out of his state of indecision long enough that he could at least start to eat. Midoriya rubbed his back in loving circles.

"Hey, I got a question," Uraraka whispered, eyeing where Aizawa was still messing with Yamada's hair. The motion was so… domestic to see, she couldn't help but brush her ankle against Midoriya and Iida's under the table. It got her a cute blush off Midoriya and seemed to help ground Iida just a little more.

"Y-yes?" Midoriya asked.

"How close do you think they are? Like really?" Uraraka asked, gesturing to the two teachers.

"Like…" Midoriya trailed off, leaning over the table to get a better look at the two. "I mean… they seem to know each other really well."

"That's the kind of interaction I expect from some of the couples," Todoroki whispers, taking his seat beside Uraraka. Ashido bounced behind them, wrapping her arms around Uraraka's shoulders in a hug. Uraraka's face bloomed red, her body rocking a little in her chair from Ashido's tackle.

"Oh, they are such a couple," Ashido says. "I'm betting on it."

"What is with you and bets?" Uraraka asks quietly. Ashido leaned back, taking Uraraka with her, and smiled broadly.

"You've lost two for two, these things come in threes," Asui says on her way past. Ashido stuck her tongue out at the girl.

"Are you taking the bet or not?" she asks. Asui paused, humming, finger to her chin that way she knew Ashido and Uraraka both thought was cute. She tilted her head just to rub it in.

"I say yes."

"Good girl, so do I!" Ashido says.

"I want to say yes," Uraraka admits.

"This is such an inappropriate conversation," Iida mumbles, looking closer to death than any of them had ever seen him before. Todoroki shrugged. He reached for a glass, finding air, and sighed, standing and returning to the counters to get himself a drink.

"Who's going to ask?" Midoriya whispers. All eyes turned on him. He immediately shoved himself back against his chair, shaking his head vehemently. "I can't!"

"You're the one who brought it up," Kirishima said, chuckling. Bakugou was stabbing his eggs with his fork. Ashido poked his shoulder.

"I say fuck off," Bakugou said, taking a harsh bite. Ashido pouted at him. She released Uraraka to drape herself over Bakugou instead, combing her hands through his hair. He relaxed a little before harshly shoving her off and whispering angrily at her. "Oi, Mic-sensei is right there!"

"Stop being so uptight, he's not paying attention to anyone but a certain grumpy sensei," Ashido teased.

"Uraraka is the one who brought it up so she should ask!" Midoriya whispered frantically.

"No way! I'm not asking!" she says quickly. She paused, whipping out her phone. She sent the text, and then after a beat, Todoroki's phone pinged in his pocket. He pulled his phone out and looked down at it, then at her, then pocketed the phone with a nod. "Yes."

Every head at the table whipped around to where Uraraka was looking. Todoroki was approaching Yamada, calm and level-headed as ever.

"Oh my god, the Conspiracy Theorist is taking initiative," Ashido breathed. She started to beam, taking his vacant seat and practically vibrating with excitement.

"Good choice, Cheeks," Bakugou murmured, eating much calmer now that he had a potential show taking place right in front of him.

"Mic-sensei?" Todoroki began. Yamada turned to him with a wide smile. "How did you and Aizawa-sensei meet?"

"Huh?"

"You two seem close," Todoroki says calmly. Matter-of-factly. Midoriya was fighting not to choke on his breakfast, having falsely thought he was safe since the choice of messenger was off him. He abandoned his fork, determining it too risky. That was too forward, in his opinion. Asui would have had more tact.

Yamada didn't seem to mind at all, though, simply putting his mug down and beaming at the question. "Excellent question, Little Listener!"

"No, it isn't," Aizawa says grumpily. He held his cup out to Yamada.

"A third already, Shou?"

"I feel like I'll need it."

"To answer your question," Yamada says, pouring the coffee for the man, "we went to UA together!"

"What?" Todoroki asked, sounding as close to incredulous as any had heard from him since moving to the dorms. Iida spit out his tea. Yaoyorozu looked at Todoroki from her spot at the oven with a raised brow.

"We were in the Hero Course together! Aizawa didn't start out in it, though," Yamada admitted.

"He didn't?!" Hagakure screeched.

"Hagakure, please, your voice," Yaoyorozu whispered. Hagakure shot Jirou, who was rubbing at her ears, a glance and a sheepish apology. Aizawa groaned from the counter, letting his face hit the marble. His morning really was a roller coaster of up and down, wasn't it? He wondered if the whole day was going to be like this.

"He got in after the Sports Festival! HE WON!" Yamada cheered. Aizawa made to swing at his face for shouting with his Quirk. Yamada bent out of his range, unperturbed. "He beat everyone else into the mat! He kicked my ass as well. It was awesome."

"It was stupidly simplistic," Aizawa drawled.

"It was like having a religious experience in ass whooping," Yamada praised, shaking Aizawa's shoulders. "Have you seen this man fight?! Did you ever tell them about that salesman with the Gigantism Quirk?"

"No."

"The what with the what?" Kaminari asks through his food. Sero smacked the back of his head with a comment on chewing first.

"There's no footage of it, unfortunately, but I heard about it from the other Pros there. Let me tell you, this man is so badass—" Yamada started to ruffle Aizawa's hair, the other man's face still buried in the counter.

"Please stop."

"—that he took down a salesman with a Gigantism Quirk who was going on a rampage and he did that shit solo," Yamada said excitedly. He choked, looking at Iida apologetically. The boy in question just looked lost again on whether to scold a teacher for their language. "I'm sorry. I swore again."

"I gave up on it, just don't say the worse ones," Aizawa admitted. He sighed, shoving Yamada's hand from his hair. He ignored the stares he could feel on his back as he tried to sort the tangled locks out again. Whether they were awe-filled or not, he was just going to ignore them for now. He'd been ignoring a lot of things as of late.

"How the hell did you not get into the Hero Course through the Entrance Exams?" Bakugou asked.

"Or a recommendation," Yaoyorozu says. "Your Quirk seems like one that would have fallen under the requirements for a slot, so…?"

"Firstly, my Quirk didn't always function like this. Secondly, I got into the Hero Course from the Sports Festival because the Entrance Exams aren't exactly geared towards Quirks like mine and there was already the reward of getting a spot in the Hero Course if you won, so I did," Aizawa says. "Thirdly, I didn't have anyone to recommend me for the Hero Course, so getting in off recommendation was out."

"Again, fighting him is a. Religious. Experience," Yamada insisted.

"I will literally beg you to shut up," Aizawa snapped. Yamada chuckled, leaning closer to Aizawa over the counter.

"Ich werde die Klappe halten, wenn du mich küsst~" he sings. Aizawa's hand shot out, snatching Yamada's collar and yanking him down. Somewhere behind him Aoyama started to squeal. Aizawa pulled Yamada forward until he could whisper to him.

"Aoyama knows German," he hissed.

He let the man go and Yamada stood frozen, looking as if Aizawa had put the fear of God into him. He promptly stood straight, trying not to think about how red his face must look, and nodded once. "Right."

"I'm heading out with or without you," Aizawa says bitterly, snatching his cane. There was a scramble of chairs and Midoriya and another student were at his sides. Aizawa immediately whacked Midoriya and said student—the voice identified them as Satou, and he hadn't even realized Satou was there yet—with his cane, not caring where it landed. "I do not need chaperones."

Yamada was at his back, hands on his shoulders, and pushing him out the door.

"That's right! He only needs one!" Yamada sang. "BYE LISTENERS WE'LL SEE YOU IN CLASS!"

"Watch the volume!" Aizawa shouted, his voice cut off by the slamming of the front door.

There was precisely one beat of silence before Aoyama was screaming, jumping to hug Ashido. He snatched her out of her seat to twirl. She looked at him, startled, but spun with him anyway.

"Why are we spinning?" she asked.

"Oh, pauvres ames, vous n'aves pas entendu!" Aoyama says, looking rather chipper. "Oh, I do wonder what Aizawa-sensei said to make Mic-sensei so red!"

"What did Mic-sensei say?" Ashido asked, her grin widening. "Are they dating? Hey! Who wants to make a bet?!"

Aoyama spun them again, past Yaoyorozu's table, where she'd finally sat down with her plate of food. The brunette shot Ashido an amused, but disappointed look. "Ashido, I'm not making any more bets with you…"

"But this one you could win!" Ashido said, taking initiative with the spins now.

"Do you even have any other evidence that they might be?" Shouji asks idly. He looked up at her and they locked eyes. "I say yes, by the way."

"I got two for yes!" Ashido announces. She pulled away from Aoyama, ruffling his hair at his pout. "Sorry, man, but I'm gonna be sick."

"Ah… fair enough," Aoyama conceded. He hummed, strutting to the kitchen. "I say yes, as well!"

"Okay, but… evidence," Midoriya chimed in. "Shoto, did Mic-sensei stay in his room last night? He got back after his show around three. His apartment is closer to the stairs, right?"

"It is," Todoroki confirmed. He resumed his seat, milk in hand. "But; he did indeed come from Aizawa-sensei's room this morning."

"Mic-sensei is always very physical with Aizawa-sensei," Yaoyorozu confesses. She sipped her tea, staring at the table. "He hooked his arm under Aizawa-sensei's arms, across his chest, yesterday morning and Aizawa-sensei didn't fight him off at all. It was almost a hug."

"So does that mean you're in the yes camp?" Ashido asks.

"…yes," Yaoyorozu says simply.

Midoriya whined from his seat. "I can't decide if I want to go with yes or no… everyone is choosing yes."

"Well, I've never been more in the yes camp," Uraraka admitted. More than half the class had ended up putting their bets into the 'yes' camp, Ashido taking their names down, and pausing once the discussion lulled again.

"This isn't even a bet at this point, everyone agrees," she grumbles. She crushed the paper in her hands with a sigh.

Aizawa leaned on Yamada's side the entire walk to the school. He went so far as to rest his head on the blonde's shoulder. Yamada had chuckled, poking his shoulder, after he did so.

"You cannot be this exhausted," he said. "I thought you actually slept last night."

"I slept too long."

"That's not a thing…. Right?"

"You never know," Aizawa drawled. "It could be."

"With how often you're slumped over something, I can never tell if you're an insomniac or narcoleptic," Nemuri calls towards them.

Yamada waved her over, pushing the front doors open for them. Aizawa switched sides, leaning against Nemuri now. Yamada set to lock the doors in place and stay open for the students who'd be filing in not long from now. Nemuri wrapped her arm with Aizawa's, pulling him closer. She pecked a kiss to his temple.

"How are you doing, hm? I saw your little bodyguard patrol yesterday," she snickered. Aizawa groaned, letting her pull him down the hall. She spotted the cane and snorted. "Who gave you that?"

"Yaoyorozu."

"She made you a cane?" Nemuri asked. Aizawa could hear the wide smile on her face. "That's so incredibly sweet… you hate it, don't you?"

"Actually, no," Aizawa admitted. He twirled the cane in his hand. "I've already used it."

"Really?!" Nemuri asked, sounding far more impressed than Aizawa felt she had a right to sound. He pouted at her, whacking her in the thigh with the cane. She yelped, hopping for a moment beside him. "Ow, rude."

"It's thoughtful."

"Oh, no doubt. They care so much," Nemuri said. She pulled Aizawa into the teacher's lounge, letting him go so he could walk to his desk. "By the way, what was with Kan's class? That Copy Quirk kid looked pissed when he came to my class."

"Oh, that one. I called him an ass," Aizawa says evenly. Yamada snorted, falling into his chair with a laugh. Nemuri was cackling openly, slapping her desk.

"YES, FINALLY!"

"What do you mean, finally?" Yamada asked.

"Oh, the little snot needed someone to say it," Nemuri says. She turned to Aizawa, smiling. "I'm glad it was you."

"Probably better if it was me than either of you," Aizawa says. He rummaged in one of the top drawers for the phone charger's plug attachment. It took him a second of fighting with the desk plug to plug in the charger. The buzz of his phone as he plugged it in was far too relieving. He grabbed a pen next, tapping it lightly on the desk. "This better not last much longer."

"You're getting antsy," Yamada says, sounding just a bit bitter. Nemuri shot him a questioning look. She waved as Thirteen and Snipe walked in, the latter nodding his hat at her.

"What'd he do?" she asks, shooting Snipe a wink.

"This one!" Yamada pointed accusingly at Aizawa. Vlad, having just entered, paused in the doorway, looking between the two. "Jumped out of the third story window this morning!"

Nemuri started to cackle again, falling out of her chair and to her knees. Thirteen turned sharply to Aizawa, a disapproving glare hidden under their helmet. Snipe cackled at his own desk. Vlad just sighed heavily, making his way to the Aizawa's desk and shaking his head despite Aizawa being unable to see it.

"Seriously? Why?" he asked. "Why are you like this?"

"You could have injured yourself!" Thirteen shouted.

"Don't insult me like this," Aizawa shot back at them both. "The Problem Children need to learn I'm not some doll about to break. Apparently, you need to remember that, too."

"They certainly acted like a whole group of bodyguards yesterday, didn't they?" Vlad asked. Aizawa threw his pen, hitting the man in the chest. It wasn't impressive, given he was right there, but Aizawa catching the pen as it fell was. He hadn't even excepted to actually catch it, smirking when it hit his palm. "Oi."

"Shou, you should be more careful until your sight returns!" Thirteen said. They blocked in the side of his desk, hands on their hips disapprovingly. "Think of what Recovery Girl will say."

"Don't you have classes to prep for?" Aizawa asked.

"I have your class to prep for!" Nemuri cheered. She hopped up, checking the time. "Speaking of."

"You can handle a quiz," Aizawa says. Nemuri shot him a disappointed look.

"Aw, but I wanted to chaperone you to class!"

"Nem, if you can't handle a quiz until the training at Ground Beta, it's sad," Aizawa says. Nemuri gasped in mock offense, strutting over to his desk to flank Vlad King. "Just come get me if they start a fight or someone is dying."

"Is that really the bar?" she asks.

"Don't sound so excited."

"I'm not excited!" Nemuri claimed. "…and I swear I won't ignore that order."

"…I don't trust that."

"Oi."

"You're going to be late," Yamada says joyfully. Nemuri sighed heavily, ruffling Aizawa's hair, and turning for the door.

"Oh fine, but I'll be back once class is over for you, young man!"

"Uh huh," Aizawa twirled the pen in his fingers. Vlad finally moved along to his own desk with a tired sigh of his own.

"And I thought just getting you to take it easy after patrols was draining," he muttered. "I didn't think you'd be this stubborn blind."

Aizawa smirked, looking over at the man. "You seriously think that being blind is going to stop me from doing what I want?"

"You haven't been on patrol since it happened," Snipe pointed out. He ducked the pen thrown at him.

"Nedzu won't let me go on patrol and I like living, so I'm not arguing," Aizawa explained.

"I wouldn't let him, either," Yamada adds. "If you weren't home when I got back, I'd go on a manhunt."

"I don't doubt it," Aizawa says, letting a fond smile form. Yamada made a little embarrassed noise, flushing furiously, which only served to make Aizawa smile more.

"Don't do that, it's not fair," Snipe whined.

"I'd join him on that manhunt," Vlad says. Both Snipe and Thirteen voiced their own agreements shortly thereafter. Aizawa grabbed another pen from his pen cup, twirling it again.

He waited at his desk, listening to the other teachers file in, check in with him, and eventually leave. When it was just him, Thirteen, and Lunch Rush left, he finally stood from his desk. Thirteen looked up immediately, watching him as he moved towards the storage closet. If he had timed himself correctly, he had at least ten minutes before the bell. He opened the door and turned to Thirteen and Lunch Rush.

"I'm trying something. Chiyo had made a comment when I saw her, and I'm testing this out. If I come back out and look in pain, don't worry about it," he says.

"I am already worried about it," Thirteen grumbled. Aizawa waved them off, slipping into the closet. He took his capture weapon off, stuffing it under the door to block whatever light might be filtering through the bottom.

He took a steadying breath. He had to ground himself before trying this again. God, was this what people with Quirks had to go through when they were first developing in the world? Before they had Quirk counseling and training? It was exhausting. He removed the covering, untying it carefully so as not to pull at his own hair, and held it out a little from his face. He tentatively cracked one eye open, noting that he seemed to favor his right because he always tried to sacrifice his left first, and was confused when nothing happened. Confusion that was quickly replaced with an untold amount of relief.

He tentatively opened his second eye and still there was nothing. He blinked, just to be sure for himself that he really was opening his eyes. The feeling of air against the eyeball was weird after so many days of nothing. But he could have laughed. He could have cried, but he had more pride than that. He was not going to allow tears to run down his face and risk tear tracks being picked up on by any of his students or partners. They quite literally would not let it go if they saw that.

He let himself collapse onto the floor, his back hitting the door, with a short bark of a laugh. There was a knock and Thirteen's voice filtered through.

"Shouta?"

"I have good news and bad news," he says. Thirteen waited patiently. "I can open my eyes."

"Really?!"

"But only in complete darkness."

"….oh."

"My feelings exactly," Aizawa sighs. "Let me know when Nemuri comes back."

He'd spent the remainder of his class time in the closet, just reveling in the fact he could open his eyes. It was disappointing that he couldn't see anything, still, but the act of blinking again was enough for him. He would have scoffed if anyone said that the action of blinking could feel so freeing. He was starting to form a rather odd and whiplashing relationship with the action.

Presently, Nemuri had literally dragged him to class with her. She'd come back from the quiz to find his desk empty. Thirteen only had to turn towards the closet for Nemuri to find him. And after she'd dragged him out from there; she'd dragged him to class. At the moment, Nemuri was utterly beaming, standing at the front of the class with her hands on her hips in a mock pose of All Might, as the students filed into the class. Sitting in their desks the students could feel the tension between the two teachers. Iida was the first brave soul to raise his hand.

"Midnight-sensei! Are you also our fill-in instructor for the training for today?" he asked, standing to bow, just to cover all his manner bases. Nemuri's smile didn't dim in the slightest, even as she spoke.

"Do you call Aizawa "Eraserhead-sensei", Iida, or just me?" she asked teasingly. Iida went bright red in the face and cast his face down with a faint 'no'. Midnight snorted and nodded. "Nemuri-sensei is fine."

"Nemuri-sensei! Did Aizawa-sensei walk all the way here by himself? We thought Yamada-sensei was going to be here because they left together this morning…" Midoriya called out.

Nemuri swiveled her head to the man beside her. He continued to stare forward, leaned against the wall, pen twirling in his fingers. She had the urge to shove him just to see his reaction but stamped it down. She had plans tonight and she'd prefer not to cancel them because he had suplexed her into his desk and sent her to the infirmary. Again.

"Oh, did he now?" she asks with false sweetness. She leaned towards him, whispering. "And here I thought he'd gone back to his apartment."

"Zip it," Aizawa muttered dangerously. He pulled the chair towards him with his foot, spinning it around to sit, and Nemuri took the hint to turn back to the class.

"Today we're doing battle exercises!" Nemuri announced with far too much enthusiasm.

Amidst the various levels of enthusiastic cheer, Sero was sent back to his finals battle with Nemuri. When The Grape Bastard had still been in the course. He slid down in his seat, praying to whatever God existed, and Aizawa, that they wouldn't have to do that again. He didn't want to have to face off against another teacher until their graduation or finals. He prayed that the world was that merciful. Fighting Power Loader had been enough for the next few months in his opinion.

"No," Aizawa said gruffly. Sero silently began to cry tears of relief. Kaminari patted his back. Nemuri sighed heavily, deflating a little. She shot Aizawa a woeful look.

"You're so not fun."

Aizawa snapped his fingers and pointed to the top drawer of his desk. "Pick one."

Nemuri blinked dumbly at him. "What."

Aizawa yanked the drawer open himself, removing his feet from the top only long enough to drag out the various folders and drop them on the desk, returning his feet afterward and leaning back again. He pointed to the stack.

"Pick."

Nemuri had gone through the stack, slowly, until she'd opened a file and squealed. Aizawa had immediately kicked her. It did nothing to curb her enthusiasm. There was a sparkle in her eyes. She raced to the door, swinging it open with a bang, and pointed to the class.

"GET READY TO FIGHT, KIDS, WE'RE DOING A CLASSIC!" she announced loudly. Aizawa threw his pen, lodging it in the door next to her head. Nemuri stood stock still, sweating a little, smile now strained.

"Volume."

The class was stuck staring, some with gaping mouths, until Nemuri ordered the class to change into their gym uniforms and meet her at the field. There was a frantic scramble of desks as they all filed out. Nemuri turned to Aizawa as they passed her.

"Dude what the fuck."

"You're giving me a headache and we have an entire day left," Aizawa said, grabbing his cane and following her out. Nemuri pulled the pen from the door, tossing it back inside the classroom, before slamming the door behind her.

"You know Nedzu is going to make you pay for that."

"I don't doubt it…"

The chosen exercise had been a simple game, in the time before Quirks had emerged: Dodge Ball.

Granted, he'd added a few rules to it to accompany the Hero Course. They were permitted to use their Quirks, aside from any rules that needed specified based on the current classes' Quirks that is, but not in a way that forced their opponents out of the boundary lines. They could not cross the middle line, even in the air—everyone knew that was directed towards Uraraka and Bakugou—and weren't allowed to force an opponent to do the same. They could catch as many of the balls as possible and then throw as many as they wished at once. If they were hit, they were out, same as always. If they caught the ball, they decided as a team, mid-game with no break, who to bring in. It was a potentially hilarious, in Aizawa's opinion, way to practice split second strategy mid-battle.

And Nemuri knew she going to love every second of this even as she carefully laid out the long row of dodge balls before the class. She laid the last one down and straightened herself out. Aizawa stood some feet behind her, hopefully out of the way of any stray dodge balls, but she would be damned if he got hit on her watch, not that he needed much protection in her opinion. She cracked her knuckles, looking them over.

"Okay, Class reps, step up!" she ordered. Yaoyorozu and Iida did as told, stepping forward. "Pick your teams! I don't care who is on what team, pick who you think would be best on your teams and work it depending on who the other chooses. If they pick the one you wanted, work with it. A few rules first, though. Yaoyorozu, no shields and no making more balls. Todoroki, don't make an ice wall, that's not fair—hey, don't pout at me. Hagakure, no stripping, keep your uniform on. Ashido, no melting the balls or the ground—you might cause an injury if you slide everywhere. No destroying the dodge balls. If one gets destroyed by accident, I'll allow Yaoyorozu to make a replacement. Catch them with your Quirks if you want, just don't let it rebound or you're out. If you make a headshot, it's a penalty, and you're out."

Nemuri returned to Aizawa's side, pulling out her whistle and whip, waiting patiently as the two reps picked their teams. To Aizawa's great relief—or despair, he'd have to see—Midoriya and Bakugou had ended up on opposite teams. Nemuri snickered, raising her whip, and shooting Aizawa a very eager smile. She paused for one tense moment before cracking the whip and blowing her whistle. The chaos was instantaneous.

A total of ten of the twenty-five balls were given right to Uraraka to float. Shouji was then batting multiples across the field at once, with Uraraka releasing her Quirk once they had all been hit. Bakugou was using his explosives to launch the balls he had across the field at speeds incredibly difficult to dodge. Midoriya was doing the same with his Quirk. Kaminari looked utterly lost, stuck behind Sero as the latter boy snatched balls with his tape and spinning to launch them back across the field. Nemuri was quick to rule if those counted as legitimate catches or not—settling on if he successfully got it into his grasp it was a catch. Iida was racing back and forth across the field to try catching and throwing as many balls as Uraraka could send his way. Before long, several students were coming and going on either side of Nemuri and Aizawa.

"They're pretty good at this," Nemuri muses, tapping the whip at her side. She bumped hips with Aizawa. "You'd be such a proud dad!"

"Shut it."

"Aw, c'mon! Be less uptight about it!" Nemuri whined. She cooed, then, cheering at Ojiro. "Good somersault, Ojiro!"

"Aerial?" Aizawa asks, stuffing his hands in his pockets idly.

"You bet."

Nemuri watched, giving Aizawa a play by play of the more theatrical or creative methods of the game. Aerial somersaults, aerial cartwheels, rolls—the kids were using their combat training and gymnastics to keep from being hit—with some using that momentum to throw the balls back. Hagakure was ducking behind Ojiro, peeking out before darting to the next teammate, picking up dodgeballs to pass them along. She was out when Ashido beamed her in the arm. Ashido was out seconds later by a blasted ball from Bakugou to the shoulder.

"Oh, no headshots!" Nemuri reminded them. Almost instantaneously a ball had hit Midoriya in the head. "That doesn't count! Satou, you're out!"

"Sorry, Midoriya…" Satou mumbled, joining Ashido.

"Ojiro, get in!"

"Yes!"

Ashido groaned loudly as the boy rushed back in, stomping her foot. "C'mon!"

"Psst. Hey, Shouta?" Nemuri whispered. Aizawa hummed at her. "Wanna join? I'll let you use your Capture Weapon."

"No."

"Not even a little? Gimme a show."

"Absolutely not."

"But you're hot when you're being a badass!" Nemuri hissed, low enough the students couldn't hear her. "I don't see it often enough anymore, give me a reward for subbing!"

Aizawa sighed, leaning his head back as if to stare at the sky. "I can't even threaten violence…"

"Are you sure~?" Nemuri shot back with a wink. She knew Aizawa couldn't see it. But he could feel it.

Hagakure and Ashido both choked on their own shock. Aizawa still raised a brow at the woman, looking in her general direction, too tired to bother trying to pinpoint her exact location. Nemuri was waltzing away within a second regardless, just in case the man decided to throw his capture scarf her way. If it were against other teachers, he'd have humored her. He would have found it rather fun, in fact, but the woman had the worst timing sometimes.

"C'mon, you can threaten violence," she teased. "You could still suplex me, even blind!"

"Don't you forget it," Aizawa grumbled, leaning his head back, smirking. Nemuri snorted, in that cute way that betrayed the smile on her face.

Aizawa smiled behind his capture scarf. His instincts flared for a second and he flinched to the left. Nemuri's hand was on his shoulders in that same second and forcing him down. A dodge ball whizzed past him and hit the boundary wall of Ground Beta with enough force that he heard it burst. Before it had passed him, he could hear several voices shouting in panic, but he had chalked it up to the game. He should have known he couldn't be that optimistic when it came to this class. The gym fell into an uncomfortable, tense and possibly terrified, silence at the display and he sighed. Nemuri gave a pathetic whine that he thinks was meant to be an apology as she rubbed his back. He picked up Midoriya's crying particularly well, followed by Bakugou trying to shut him up—oddly enough without much shouting involved. How oddly soft. He shook off Nemuri, gently, and straightened his shoulders again.

"Get back to it before I make you," he warned.

There was the briefest pause before hell broke loose again and dodge balls were soaring. Uraraka was in the air, held on by Dark Shadow, clasped to her foot, as she threw balls from her aerial point down at Yaoyorozu's team. Yaoyorozu was crafting a dodgeball, with Shoji as her shield so a stray ball didn't take her out whilst she did. Nemuri sheepishly inched closer to Aizawa. Hagakure couldn't rush back into the fray fast enough when her and Ashido's names were called and the two swapped places with the ones who'd gotten out.

"They're the gossipers," Aizawa grumbled at her.

"Sorry." Nemuri whispered defeatedly.

Aizawa heard another mumble to the side, identifying the voice as Aoyama. He smirked and jerked his thumb in the boy's direction. "This one is another gossiper," he says.

Aoyama gasped in mock offense. Nemuri started to giggle at the dramatic pose the boy struck as he made an adamant denial of the claim.

"You're a dad," she whispered, knocking their arms together. Aizawa hummed at her again.

The game lasted the entire period, neither team being taken out completely. Aizawa hadn't expected them to only have one round, so he could admit he was impressed. According to Nemuri it had gotten close a few times. He'd turned to her, when both Bakugou and Midoriya had joined the sidelines, with most of the class at the sideline at that point.

"I had a thought for a lesson plan," he said.

"Oh, please, continue. I'm vibrating in excitement," Nemuri had drawled. Aizawa ignored her, shrugging.

"Just some hand to hand. A demonstration of proper hand to hand and how useful it can be."

"Haven't you focused on that a lot this month?" Nemuri asks. She blew her whistle, cracking her whip. "Todoroki, I said no ice wall!"

"Sorry, sensei!"

"I have, but there's always room for improvement," Aizawa argues. He adjusted his capture weapon. "And I feel like I need the stress relief."

Nemuri turned to him slowly, a smile slowly creeping up her face. She gave a little excited squeal and started to hop on her heels. "Don't tell me…. You want to do a Versus Demonstration?"

"Absolutely."

"Alright. When your sight is back, we can coordina—"

"I was thinking Monday," Aizawa interrupted. Nemuri faltered over her words, taking a moment to collect herself.

"Are you serious? You want to do that blind?"

"You've known me long enough to know the answer to that," Aizawa says casually. "Call the game, class is almost over."

Nemuri sighed heavily, blowing her whistle. "GAME OVER! Get showered and on to your next class!"

The class seemed genuinely upset to be leaving the game unfinished. Aizawa shook his head before anyone could ask for an extension on the game. Nemuri hooked their arms together as they made their way to the teacher's lounge. Once they'd reached it, Aizawa fell back into his seat, twirling a pen yet again. Nemuri slunk to her desk, shooting a guilty look towards Yamada. Yamada quirked a brow at the look, eyeing Aizawa. Someone came up to Aizawa's desk, drawing his attention away from the two biggest Problem Teachers, and he grunted in greeting.

"Aizawa, how are—"

"Yagi, if you start to Mother Hen me like the Problem Children and Hizashi I will actually murder someone, and I cannot promise it will be Hizashi," Aizawa said promptly. He heard some snickering amongst the staff alongside All Might's flabbergast sputtering. Aziawa rummaged in his desk drawer, pulling out a jelly pouch, and starting to unscrew the cap. "Probably strangle them with my scarf."

"Aizawa!" Yagi shouted. "That is not the way to respond to a fellow peer's concerns!"

"I will end your very existence. Try me," Aizawa snaps. Yagi gaped at him. He shook himself out, steeling himself, and going in for another round. Nemuri quickly mimed zipping lips at Yamada, who'd made to stand.

"He almost got beamed in the head by an exploding dodge ball, give him some space," Nemuri warned.

"I'm sorry what," Yamada says. Yagi ignored both.

"Aizawa, as a friend and peer, I have to say that I am concerned," Yagi insisted.

"Just don't try to carry me anywhere," Aizawa said slowly, stopping the pen twirl and holding it up, "And I won't retaliate."

"Watch it, he's lethal with those pens," Nemuri grumbled. Aizawa aimed it her way and she ducked behind her desk. "HAVEN'T YOU DONE THAT ENOUGH?!"

"Leave him be," Thirteen insisted. "I spoke to Inui. He says his office is always open."

"I know," Aizawa assured them. While he was… mildly concerned how relieved he was to just simply open his eyes earlier, he didn't think he needed therapy for it. It was a logical reaction. Obviously.

There was a tentative knock on the door. Once it was opened there was a brief pause and then Ishiyama turned towards Aizawa and Yagi. "It's for Aizawa," Ishiyama says, sounding a little jolly.

It immediately put Aizawa on edge.

"Aizawa-sensei, we wanted to treat you to lunch!" Sero said.

"Just this once?" Jirou asked.

Aizawa took a second to think it over. If he said no, Yamada would probably have a cow, claiming something about 'bonding' and disappointing his students. He admitted he hadn't really planned anything for his lunch and having Lunch Rush think of what to make him did sound entertaining. The other had been trying to figure out Aizawa's favorite foods for years, primarily through trial and error, since Aizawa had made it a bit of a game to see what the chef could come up with. He tossed the pen aside and strode for the door, cane in hand.

"Yeah, alright."

He slammed the door behind him. Yagi stared at the door, alongside several others, before deflating and moving to collapse onto the couch. He looked ten years older already, which was a feat in Nemuri's opinion, given she doubted he'd heard about the window incident.

"Good thing his kids are handling all the mothering," Nemuri said, leaning back in her seat. "He can't say no to them."

"He can, he just doesn't want to," Ishiyama says coyly. He turned to Yamada. "Why did I hear something about a window from this morning?"

Yamada slammed his hands on the desk dramatically. "He jumped out of it! Three stories!"

"Oh, that's not so bad," Sakamata says. "Bit of a risk."

"Bit?" Yamada repeated. Nemuri snickered at him, earning a biting glare in return, just before Yamada stomped over to her desk. "It's not funny!"

"It kind of is," she says. "You're such a worrier. He's fine! He wants to do another Versus Demonstration. All v. One style… you get one guess as to who the "one" is."

"He can't be serious," Yamada groaned. He dragged his hands down his face, leaning to sit against Nemuri's desk. "Right now?"

"Monday," Nemuri confirms. The resounding disagreement from the teachers present met her ears. She nodded along, lacing her fingers together. "I mean, if any of you want to stop him, you're welcome to try. But, and I will never not insist, you have to admit he's pretty hot when he gets that motivated about the hand to hand classes."

"You just like that he kicks your ass," Vlad says.

"Me, you, Yamada, Snipe, I can go on and on," Nemuri threatened. She shot Vlad a devilish smirk, laughing when she caught sight of the man's blush. "Oh my god. Hizashi."

"What?" Yamada asked, sounding defeated already.

"We should invite other Pros. God can you imagine," she almost squealed. She jumped up, wrapping the other in a hug. "If I wasn't joining in, I'd be so jealous! Let me invite Joke!"

"He will kill you!" Yamada shouted.

"Only if he finds out it was me!"

"I'd sell you out in a heartbeat," Yamada declared. Nemuri pulled away, gaping in mock betrayal. Thirteen piped up soon after.

"As would I. If Aizawa asked me, I'd confess in a second," they said. Nemuri shot them a faux glare. Snipe and Vlad voiced similar agreements. Nemuri scoffed, falling back into her seat.

"You're all just saying that because he'd kiss your forehead or something!"

"Absolutely."

"Of course."

"Damn straight."

"Any affection from him is appreciated."

Nemuri banged her head on the desk with a loud groan. Yamada crossed his arms, letting himself look rather smug. The door slammed open. Yagi, having tried to block the entire conversation out for the most part, glanced up and blinked at the newcomers along with the rest of the staff. The three students marched inside, not waiting for permission, moving in a straight line towards Nemuri's desk.

Bakugou stopped before Nemuri's desk with determination. To Nemuri's eyes, the boy had a burning question on his mind that he was asking regardless if she wanted him to or not, but the two students beside him seemed to be more conflicted on the matter. Iida and Satou alike looked woefully uncomfortable standing in the teacher's lounge. Bakugou had been the one to knock on the door—and subsequently slam it open. Iida looked like he still wanted to formally ask to enter; but that ship had sailed. They'd made their way to Nemuri's desk the second they'd spotted Yamada leaning against it.

"What food does Aizawa-sensei eat?" Bakugou asked. When Nemuri and Yamada both just blinked at him he actually had the balls to snap his fingers. "We have a time limit! What food does he eat besides those stupid packet things?"

"And coffee," Satou helpfully added.

Nemuri exchanged a glance with Yamada. "How long has he been eating those things?" she asks.

"Oh, god, years," Yamada whispers.

"It's a good question…outside when we eat out, I'm not sure. He usually just gets whatever someone suggests when we're at a restaurant, too, so that probably doesn't help," Nemuri hums, resting her head on her hand and thinking. She was drawing an utter blank and turned to the man who actually lived with Aizawa the most. "Hey, when you don't give him food, what does he…. Yamada?"

Yamada looked like he was blanking just as much as she was. Nemuri gaped at him. The students stared. Nemuri stood slowly, turning towards the man.

"Yamada? Does he eat anything else if it's not handed to him?" she asks again.

"Um…" Yamada started to sweat. "W-would Lunch Rush know?"

"Would Lunch Rush know?!" Nemuri screeched, the latter half of her question caught in a laugh. She started to shake Yamada's shoulders. "No, you bisexual disaster, they're asking US what the hell does he eat?"

"A what disaster?" Satou asked blankly.

"I-!" Yamada squeaked, looking panicked, "I'm not even sure he knows how to prepare food! I've literally never seen him eat anything else that wasn't cooked and offered to him since the day he found those packets!"

"Hasn't he ever cooked rice?! Made pasta? By god, man, do you even know what his preferences are?"

"I cannot answer that."

"YOU ABSOLUTE FAILURE, HOW?!"

"I mean he likes the fruity packs? Wait a second, you don't know either or you wouldn't be asking me," Yamada said weakly, trying to inch away from Nemuri and failing.

"How is he in the shape he's in if he doesn't eat anything else?" Snipe cuts in. "Are those packets magic?"

"They're efficient," Thirteen says.

"Thirteen," Nemuri hadn't let go of Yamada, but she whipped her head around to look at the Rescue Hero all the same, "You are not allowed to enable him. He's now suspected of being on a magic, pretty much liquid, diet. This is unacceptable."

"If he were on a liquid diet, wouldn't he an' All Might have bonded more?" Snipe asked. Yamada almost screeched. Yagi choked, spraying blood, and whipped around to glare Snipe down. The man just shrugged at him.

"What does he even like besides coffee?" Nemuri asked. She slumped in her chair, hand on her forehead. "God, does he drink anything else on his own? I've seen water, but that's water."

"He likes the fruit flavored packets…" Yamada provides again, unhelpfully. Nemuri shot him a glare. "… In my defense—"

"You have no defense," Thirteen says, just as matter-of-factly as before. Yamada gaped at them, offended.

Bakugou sighed heavily, dragging both boys by their collars towards the door whilst the two squabbled. "That was utterly useless."

"Not entirely," Iida mumbles, righting himself to walk properly. Bakugou released Satou as well, turning to raise a brow at Iida. "We learned he may like fruit. At the very least, fruit flavors."

Bakugou stared at him. "You are unbelievable."

"I am also the only one who apparently walked away with any idea of what he may enjoy." Iida scoffed.

"FINE." Bakugou growled, stomping with more force, "Aizawa-sensei is unbelievable."

"That we can agree on," Satou said. He scratched the back of his head, staring at the ground as they marched back to the cafeteria. "I was hoping to fill the cabinet with more than packets…"

"I was expecting a real fucking answer!" Bakugou roared. His palms sparked and Iida had to cover his ears from the noise.

They came up on the cafeteria and Iida broke away immediately to get his own food. Satou lamented he'd have to go later, tailing Bakugou as they neared the pushed together lunch tables their class had forced into place in the back of the cafeteria. Aizawa had, before they'd slipped away, chastised them all for moving the tables around at all, but it was a losing battle. Ashido would have made it so they could all sit together one way or another, even if it meant forcing classmates in each other's laps. Midoriya and Tokoyami were flanking Aizawa, even at the table, where most of the class had gathered. Bakugou slid into his spot between Ashido and Kirishima, his tray already present courtesy of one of the two. Likely, they'd tag teamed it, if Satou knew them well enough and he liked to think he did.

He sat beside Asui with a sigh, the girl slipping a plate to him as well. He shot her a curious but grateful look. "Now where is yours?" he asks playfully.

"I ate my half," she says. She pushed the tray towards him again. There was a small bite-size cupcake on the tray as well. Satou blinked down at it and sent her a warm smile. She looked away, face stoic, but a certain fondness in her voice.

"Sero helped me make it," she explained. Then, quieter. "The rest are in the dorms."

"I love you, you know that?" Satou asked, taking up the cupcake first. Asui swatted his hand lightly.

"Food first!"

Yamada strolled into the cafeteria, having finally shaken Nemuri off, and spotted Aizawa across the room. He was utterly surrounded by his class at the table. Yamada had to fight off the urge to laugh. From an outside perspective, he was sure that it looked like the class was simply enjoying a lunch with their sensei for once. Having lived in the same dorms with the kids he could see the subtle intentions. With two of the fastest in class constantly flanking Aizawa when he was walking it wasn't hard to pick up the pattern, but he'd truly not expected to see the same pattern even when the man was sitting. Yamada recalled seeing the kids double checking Aizawa's pathway was clear when he walked around the dorm common room. Even with the cane, which he used most in the common room and kitchen and Yaoyorozu looked ecstatically proud every time, they would kick bags out of the way or slide chairs back into place. He'd caught Dark Shadow tailing the man up the stairs until it was either sure he'd make it to his apartment just fine or Dark Shadow's range was reached.

It was, to put it lightly, adorable.

He was almost upon them, waving at a few students who waved back, unable to greet him with their mouths full. Aizawa's phone buzzed in his pocket. He let it ring a few times before sighing and pulling it out. Yamada waited patiently, ruffling Midoriya's hair. The boy ducked his head, muttering a greeting. Uraraka snickered, poking his arm. Aizawa seemed to try and check the ID before he just put it to his ear.

"Yes?"

"Are you eating?" Ishiyama's voice came out. Aizawa muttered a curse under his breath, leaning his head back.

"The entire class dragged me to the cafeteria and you're asking me that? Like Lunch Rush wouldn't force a plate in my hands?" Aizawa asks, exasperated. Frankly, Yamada would expect Lunch Rush to do just that.

"…Have you?"

"Yes, I ate," Aizawa snapped, but there was a smirk playing on his lips.

"Good, because you need to make sure you're eating properly, because you need that strength…"

Yamada couldn't help the smile forming on his face. Several of the students who were closest and could hear Ishiyama were snickering around the table. Ashido was struggling not to laugh any louder than she was. Aizawa seemingly ignored the snickering around him, only sighing, but sighing fondly.

"…and Recovery Girl wants to see your progress, so you have to stop by after school. Make sure you're still drinking plenty of water and eating actual food…"

"Hey, those packets are fine."

"Those packets are not sufficient—"

"Ishiyama, I will kick flip you into the sun, I do not care how much you weigh. Do not test me," Aizawa says. He turned slightly when Ashido lost it, doubling over the table and laughing into Kirishima's shoulder. The redhead was similarly laughing, smacking the table.

"You're still in the cafeteria, aren't you?" Ishiyama sighs over the phone.

"Maybe."

"Well, at least you have your bodyguards—"

"Ishi."

The occupants nearest to him all lost the battle. The laughing and snickering was enough to hide Yamada's own quiet snickering as he bent over his knees, trying not to be too loud, or Aizawa was going to punch him, probably.

"Signing your death warrant, I see. Shame. You were a good friend," Aizawa deadpanned. Ishiyama made a sort of strangled noise on the other end and then Nemuri's voice came over the line.

"HE'S NOT WRONG!"

"He's dead to me."

"You have a small legion of caring bodyguards and it's cute! Accept your fate already!" Nemuri shouted.

"You're both dead to me," Aizawa repeated, just as deadpan and flat.

He ended the call, slipping the phone back in his pocket. Midoriya was wheezing, leaning into Iida for support, softly whispering 'oh my god'. Aizawa hummed, his fingers playing with the strap of the cane. He had one foot propped up against the edge of the table. Yamada gaped at him. Finally, he made a choked noise, losing his battle not to laugh just before he finally let himself, and Aizawa whipped his head in his direction.

"When did you get here?" Aizawa asked. Yamada whined, leaning on Aizawa's chair to steady himself as he tried to breath.

"I can't believe you gave up that fast," he says. "I owe Nem so much money…"

"What?"

"I bet that you'd last longer before you ran out of fu—uh…. Uh…."

"…cares," Aizawa provided.

"Yes, thank you, before you ran out of cares to give," Yamada sighed.

"Mic-sensei, you can curse," Jirou says nonchalantly. Yamada turned to her. "Ahem. Let Mic-sensei say fu—!"

"No!" Ashido and Kaminari both shouted, slapping their hands over Jirou's mouth, having to lean over the table to do so. Bakugou was howling. Aizawa pushed away from the table.

"Alright, enough of this," he muttered. He stalked off towards the door. Yamada shot the kids thumbs up as he backpedaled behind Aizawa. He spun around by the time they hit the doors, waiting until they were out of view to link their arms. "Hi."

"Hi~."

Aizawa listened as Yamada rambled about his day thus far. Apparently Monoma was still salty about being called an ass by a teacher, but Aizawa would argue he should put that rage into not being such an ass. He'd have at least suspended the kid by now if he was in 1-A. Then again, if he were in 1-A he wouldn't have lasted more than a week with Bakugou. Once they pushed through the lounge doors Nemuri was upon them.

"How could you?!" she asked dramatically. Aizawa ignored her, shoulder checking her on his way to his desk. "Oi, I'm doing a bit here."

"I know, I'm tired."

"Hi tired, I'm Midnight—"

"Don't you dare start that shit," Aizawa sighed.

"Okay, but. So, like, you are their dad, right?" Midnight asked teasingly. Aizawa didn't miss a beat.

"That makes you the mom," he said.

Snipe almost spat out his coffee at the look of utter shock and panic on Midnight's face. He snuck a photo, knowing Aizawa would want to see that when he got his sight back. Midnight was still frozen when Aizawa finished grabbing his folders for the next class and waltzed out of the teacher's lounge, tailed by Power Loader.

"…a mom…" she whispered.

"The mom," Vlad helpfully corrected. Nemuri's head hit her desk.

Aizawa had accepted that his students would attempt to flank him on the way back to the dorms. He did not accept allowing that to happen without a fight. He wasn't typically one to try and showcase any sense of "I'm not fragile". But typically, he wasn't blinded by a Quirk and surrounded by mother henning students and partners, respectively. He had slipped out of the classroom early as Power Loader broke up a spat between Kaminari and Sero (the former having gotten stuck to the latter's tape somehow and frankly Aizawa doubted he'd be able to figure it out even if he could see; by the sounds of it Kaminari was essentially cocooned). Finding his way to Recovery Girl was easy.

"Hey."

"There you are. Earlier than I expected," she said, tapping a bed. Aizawa sat on the edge, twirling his own cane. Recovery Girl raised a brow at the cane but didn't react otherwise. "I heard you attempted a little experiment."

"Total darkness doesn't hurt," Aizawa confirms. "But. It's total darkness."

"So essentially the same thing," Recovery Girl says. She hummed, taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. "Do you know yet how long this will last?"

"Probably another two weeks…" Aizawa sighs. "Maybe three. Only been a few days."

"Almost half a week," Recovery Girl says. She patted his knee. "Count it down. It'll pass before you know it."

Aizawa didn't doubt it would feel that way afterward, but he also knew that it wouldn't feel like it was passing quickly at all in the moment. Regardless, he bowed and bid Recovery Girl a good night. It didn't take him long to get back to the dorms. He had exited Recovery Girl's office and was met by a clearing throat.

"Hello, sensei!"

Aizawa stopped. He shook his head, already running through all the punishments he'd have to sift through and pinched his brow.

"Hagakure. You're supposed to be in class."

"Power Loader-sensei doesn't… um… know that I left, okay, I admit it! I ducked out early!" she confessed. Far too soon for Aizawa's liking. She could have at least tried to lie. "I'm sorry, sensei, I just wanted to make sure you got back to the dorm okay!"

"I'm fine."

"I know… I just…" Hagakure followed him down the hall, playing with her hands. "Can I just walk you back, at least?"

"Hagakure, by the time you walk me back and then come back to the school class will be over," Aizawa remarked. Still, he shrugged. "But, you're going to follow me either way, so sure."

"AH! I—! Um… I mean…" Hagakure sighed heavily, her entire body drooping. "You're right…"

"Thought so. Come on, problem child, let's go."

With a happy giggle, Hagakure caught up with him with an extra skip in her step, linking her arm in his. He let her lightly swing his arm as they walked—or rather as she marched—back to the dorms and she filled the empty air with her own chatter. Something about how much she learned from the stealth exercises, how funny she found Ashido's attempts to check if he were asleep (he cheekily remarked that she could try again if she didn't crash into anything next time), and finally she broached the subject he had been suspecting she would the entire walk. They had just entered the dorm when she popped the question.

"Aizawa-sensei?"

"Hm?"

"This weekend, some of us were wondering if we could go shopping?" Hagakure asks tentatively. Aizawa smirked, waltzing for the stairs.

"I know. You've been discussing it for the past two days, no?"

"Y-you know about it already?!"

"Of course, I do, none of you are subtle. Reminds me to alter a few lessons, at least," Aizawa mused. He stopped at the stairs, turning to her. "You can go if you take a chaperone."

"Oh, of course, sensei!" Hagakure says joyfully. She bounded up to him, making sure to let her feet fall heavy so he could track exactly where she was. "Would you?"

"…Would I what?"

"Chaperone. The trip. We were going to go to the mall!" Hagekure says. Aizawa would have blinked at her if he could.

"You'll need someone other than me," he says slowly, gesturing to the eye covering. Hagakure, unbeknownst to him, deflated.

"Oh, right…"

"Ask Midnight or Vlad King. I know they're off patrol this weekend," Aizawa says. He held his hand out and Hagakure looked at it a moment before his gesture clicked and she set her own hand in his. He gave it a small squeeze in place of ruffling her hair, as he usually did with his students, and disappeared up the stairs.

Hagakure rocked on her heels a little. She had to go back regardless. She'd left her stuff there and unless someone had bothered to ask her something, no one really looked in the direction of her desk during class—most more concerned with the front of the room where the lesson was—so no one was likely to grab her things for her. She turned around to the door and paused, biting her lip. Making up her mind, she ran up the first flight of stairs and shouted up the rest, hoping Aizawa wasn't so far he couldn't hear her.

"I'm getting my homework, sensei! So, I won't be here!"

"That's alright," Aizawa called down to her.

"Do you… do you want anything? Something to do?" she called back. There was a pause and she heard Aizawa's footsteps until they stopped at a landing.

"You know the 3D puzzles Yaoyorozu made for game nights?" he called. "Bring me some of those."

Hagakure dashed down the stairs. She couldn't quite recall where Yaoyorozu had left the puzzles, but there were only a few places. She found them, eventually, in the TV stand. She carried as many as she could in her arms and bounced up the stairs. She could see Aizawa leaning on the wall in the entryway of the top floor. He heard her coming, pushing off the wall and unlocking his own apartment so she could set them down on the small coffee table.

"Have fun!" she called after her, shutting the door on her way out.

Aizawa hummed, using the cane to find the table and a chair he could pull up. If nothing else, this would keep him busy until Yamada came back for the night. As it happened, it distracted him long enough for someone to start pounding on his door. He had no idea how many puzzles Hagakure had actually grabbed, but he'd managed to disassemble and reassemble four. He abandoned the fifth (he was getting nowhere fast) to answer. He'd discarded the covering over an hour ago, leaving him free to rub at his eyes more out of habit than anything else. Once the door opened, there was a scandalized gasp and a pained groan immediately following.

"Aizawa-sensei, you're supposed to leave your eyes covered!" Midoriya cried.

"For fuck's sake, he's a grown man!" Bakugou roared.

Aizawa felt a headache coming on.

"I'm not wearing it every hour of the day, Midoriya. It has to get washed at some point," Aizawa says.

He ignored the fact that it was actually set on the coffee table at the moment. He leaned on the doorframe. The two boys bickered before him for a minute, and he lamented that no one had thought to come to play mediator. Or that no one thought sending these two was a bad idea. Perhaps they were trying to do some team building. Suddenly his hand was being clasped and a piece of fabric slipped into his grasp. He took a moment to feel it out, realizing quickly that it was another covering band.

"Tsu sewed it," Midoriya said. "We thought you'd like a spare. It's not patterned, it's just blue, but it's so you have it just in case!"

"Be grateful we talked Mina out of making it flowers," Bakugou said.

"Thanks."

"Dinner's ready. C'mon, Deku, you're blocking the damn hallway," Bakugou said, dragging Midoriya along. Midoriya dug his heels into the floor.

"Aizawa-sensei, come down with us!" he offered, giving his megawatt smile. Bakugou looked at him tiredly. He let his arm go when he spotted that determined look in Midoriya's eyes. "We can walk together," Midoriya furthered.

Aizawa was silent. He slowly wrapped the covering over his eyes, fixing his hair, and pulling the door shut. He had the strange feeling that Midoriya would have just waited until he came down himself, feigning some strange excuse for why he was still in the hall, just to make sure Aizawa didn't take his express exit to the bottom floor. Again.

"Lead the way, bodyguards," Aizawa teased. There were small pops of explosions and Midoriya jumping away from Bakugou's blast radius. Midoriya ushered him down the stairs, shushing Bakugou on his way.

He'd gotten used to eating without his eyes, thankfully, so it was easy to just let the class fall into their usual conversation. It did strike him, however, that he didn't eat meals with them often enough. It was… nice. Not nice like meals with Yamada, or Nemuri, or Snipe, or any of his other partners. It was homely on a different level. There was an entirely different energy level—chaotic, like Nemuri when they went drinking. No wonder she got along so well with Ashido.

"Aizawa-sensei?" Iida asked.

"I already told Hagakure you could go shopping this weekend."

"Yes, but about after…" Iida said slowly. "Some of us wanted to split up and do our own activities. Would that be possible?"

Aizawa hummed. So that's how they were going to frame their dates, then? Alright. He didn't want to bring it up just yet, either. He took a sip of his drink before he answered, letting the conversations around them pick up again a little.

"That's up to Principal Nedzu. He'd be the one to contact all the teachers to organize that, depending on the number of groups and if you'd need the supervision."

"He'd give us a pass without supervision?" Uraraka asks.

"Depends where you're going," Aizawa said.

"Midoriya should ask! He's Principal Nedzu's favorite!" Kaminari declared. Aizawa heard Midoriya choke on his food for a moment. Someone pat his back until he could speak, his voice having otherwise been drowned out by the round of agreement across the table.

"W-why me?!" he finally asked.

"Principal Nedzu loves you the most," Sero says confidently. "And he terrifies us."

"You think I'm not terrified of him?!" Midoriya asked frantically. "Do you know what his projected IQ is?! Do you?!"

"…do you?" Sero asked, genuinely curious.

"Two hundred and forty-five," Aizawa remarked. "Projected."

Midoriya slapped the table. "That's terrifying!"

"Isn't yours over two hundred, nerd?"

"T-that's not the point…" Midoriya said pitifully. "A-and Momo's IQ is just as high! She's in the first place of the class!"

"Yes, but Principal Nedzu seems to have taken a liking to you, Izuku," Yaoyorozu says, smirking. She snickered at the desperate look Midoriya shot her. Pleading. She gave him a shrug and a wink.

"Ok, but like… he likes you best," Kaminari mumbled.

"He really does, kero."

"Butter up to him, then we can get passes all the time!" Uraraka whispered excitedly.

"U-Uraraka!"

"What?" she asked innocently. "I'm sure he'd love to have tea with you."

"Under no circumstance do you ever agree to that," Aizawa was quick to say. Midoriya gave a pitiful whine.

"Why?" Uraraka asks.

"That's an entire forty-five minutes of lunch that he'll keep you there. The tea never ends," Aizawa said flatly. Then, quietly, "I don't know how he fits so much in such a small pot…"

"I'll die if I go," Midoriya mutters.

"You don't have to, anyway, I have to put in the official request," Aizawa says somewhat bitterly. He sighed, already mentally noting that he should bring his Capture Weapon with him. Best to butter up the principal with promises to bury himself in the dangerous scarf first.

Midoriya sighed in relief, slumping against the table. "Thank you, Aizawa-sensei."

"Thank me when you come back without an injury," Aizawa remarked.

He most certainly did not take pride in how that got the entire table to laugh. And Midoriya to kick him under the table only for him to kick the boy right back out of reflex as if Yamada had just kicked him. They would be sporting matching bruises by tomorrow.

By the time that Yamada had poked his head into the apartment Aizawa had gotten too comfortable with the kids. Hands down, there was no doubt about it. Because to Yamada's surprise the bed was empty and Aizawa was not the only person in the apartment. He stepped in, flicking on the light to find Aizawa lounging in a chair, his feet propped up on the coffee table. And on the loveseat, the rug, and the neighboring chairs was Midoriya, Uraraka, Iida, Ashido, Tokoyami, and Kaminari. All of them were trying to figure out their own 3D puzzle. Yamada let the door swing shut, the resounding noise causing all students to snap their heads up and collectively shush him. Yamada raised his hands in mock defense.

"Hey, hey, hey, Little Listeners~."

"Mic-sensei," Midoriya greeted for the group. He waved him over, pointing to Aizawa. As Yamada had already started to suspect, the man was sleeping in that god awful position in the chair. Yamada sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know how he can sleep everywhere and anywhere…" he muttered. He looked over the kids, most of whom were turning their attention to him now. "What's going on, Listeners? Wouldn't let him out of your sight?"

"Well, Izu kicked him under the table at dinner, then Aizawa-sensei kicked him back, and then Izu wouldn't stop apologizing, then he started to cry—"

"U-Uraraka, please—"

"—and so Aizawa-sensei invited us up to the apartment to try the 3D puzzles he couldn't crack and now we're here!" Uraraka finished off with a smile. Midoriya's face was beet red as he buried it in his hands. Yamada regarded him with a coy smile.

"Kicking his shin, huh? You're bruising tomorrow," Yamada chuckled.

"It's already bruising…" Midoriya sighed. Yamada snorted and started to usher them all up.

"Alright, alright, come on, Listeners. I came to check on him, but if he sleeps here all night, he's going to regret it in the morning."

The kids all clamored up, setting their half-finished puzzles onto the coffee table in neat piles. They gave Yamada their own various goodbyes as they made their way out. He shook Aizawa's shoulder to wake him, blocking the arm that shot up to jab his throat, and laughing when Aizawa shook his head out with an apology.

"Don't apologize every time," Yamada said. "I'm well aware of what I'm gearing up for when I wake you up in weird places."

"A chair isn't weird."

"Neither is the floor of your classroom anymore, apparently."

"…Fair enough," Aizawa sighed, stretching. Yamada shut the apartment door and sauntered over to the dresser, pulling out pajamas for Aizawa. He smirked at him, dumping the pajamas into his lap.

"So. I just sent the kids off."

"Shut up."

"You're a dad."

"Shut it."

"I refuse to speak anything but the truth!" Yamada declared. He dodged a well-aimed kick. "C'mon, I need my legs for tonight!"

"For what, exactly?"

"I'm taking your patrol tonight."

"Sucks to be you," Aizawa drawled, he threw his old shirt at Yamada, missing by a good few feet. Yamada kicked the shirt towards the laundry, doing the same to the pants, which managed to hit his legs. Once Aizawa had changed he dragged him to the bed.

"Yes, but I do it because I love you, now sleep."

"I did sleep."

"Sleep in a proper bed, how about you do that?" Yamada threw the blanket over him. Aizawa huffed, sitting up and latching onto him like a koala bear. "Hey, this doesn't count as sleep!"

"I've gotten to see you a lot lately—stop snickering—so excuse me if I want a hug," Aizawa said. He pulled him down, ignoring Yamada's protests. "Let me be affectionate, damn it. You're mothering is at least tolerable."

"Hey, be glad it's me and not Ishiyama," Yamada chuckles. Aizawa groaned into his back.

"He'd never leave."

"Never," Yamada confirmed. He sighed, settling in. "I have a few hours…"

"Take a nap. It's God's best invention."

"Sometimes I feel like you revere the wrong things…" Yamada mutters.

"Nonsense."

His entire body was in pain. His back felt like it was snapping open, his elbow was falling into ash—he never thought he'd know what that felt like and then this had to happen—his legs and arms were the worst off. Being pinned by several hundred pounds of pure muscle was never a good experience—he'd fought villains with gigantism before so it wasn't like he'd never been hit with the power of that before, but it was never any easier—and his arms were being shattered. Twisted and broken until he couldn't feel them anymore. Normally something he'd consider good if it didn't mean he might lose them later. If he lived.

If.

The thought would be laughable if he could breathe. He wasn't about to dare die right now. He had to protect his students. He had to do something. He was pinned, his body was broken, and his voice was raw, but that Hand Bastard was going to kill her—

And his eyes burned—they burned but he couldn't dare close them. If he closed them, for a second, even a moment, she was going to disappear. Turn to ash slowly like his elbow. Left with that pain until she finally died, her blood filling the lake—

Aizawa jerked harshly, his arm flying out across the bed sheets, grasping desperately for a familiarly warm body and finding cold fabric. His heart was pounding in his chest. His hand, in his desperate attempt to sweep the bed to find anyone, hit the headboard and the sharp pain brought his consciousness back enough for him to breathe. He had to remember to breathe. He wasn't at the USJ. He was at the dorms, in his bed, and Yamada was on his usual patrol route.

Right, he was on patrol.

Aizawa laid on his back, gasping. It took him a long moment to realize his eyes were open behind the covering. He still couldn't see anything, due to the stark blackness that was left to his own sight, but somehow having his eyes open without the stark burning was comforting. He left them open, unwilling to close them just yet, unwilling to risk that he'd see flashes of Shigaraki reaching for Asui or of the Nomu gripping his arm and twisting. The memory of that imagery was enough to shake him out from under the covers with a shiver.

It was a little difficult. He was drenched in sweat. Aizawa growled and tore the shirt off, tossing it to the floor. He shook his hair out, cooling himself down enough that he didn't feel on fire, and hung his head between his knees.

When had he talked to Hound Dog last? When had Asui, or Midoriya, or Toshinori spoken to Hound Dog last? They all needed to do check-up appointments, probably. He shook his head. Not a probably, it was a definitely. For him, if nothing else. He wanted to go to Asui's room to check she was still present, but he couldn't do that very well blind. He would perhaps be able to hear her breathing. He didn't want to wake her, though. He'd hear her in the morning at breakfast. She was fine. He was fine.

He was fine.

He let his hand drift to the nightstand, rifling through the drawer until his fingers hit the circular band on a chain. He redid the necklace clasp around his neck, clutching the ring in his hand. It wasn't Yamada, but it was a comfort all the same. He pushed himself off the bed to march to the dresser. He rummaged through it until his fingers hit the metal teeth of a zipper. He ran his hand up the front of the zip-up sweater until he hit the logo stitched on the front. Yamada's radio show logo. Aizawa pulled it out, wasting no time in throwing it on. He forgoes zipping it up, still feeling like his skin was on fire, and slid his feet into the slippers at the base of the bed.

He wanted coffee.

He would settle for tea.

He trudged down the stairs like a man walking out of his own grave. He was always further exhausted after a nightmare. He blamed the adrenaline rush and fear. He rounded one of the corners of the stairs and there was a dim light. A dim light that, to his still open eyes because he apparently had no sense of self-preservation when he was half asleep, had the pain back again. It was lessened by the covering's thickness, he thinks, which was a godsend unto itself.

He still stopped, hissing, and leaned roughly against the wall. The pain was spreading through his head and started to nurse a migraine. He trudged on, too determined to let this stop him. He had dealt with migraines due to overusing his Quirk. He could power through this long enough. God, he hated it all. He just needed to steal some more of that lavender tea Yaoyorozu made and…

He stopped at the base of the stairs with a sigh. He'd forgotten the cane upstairs. He had no idea what cabinet the tea was in. Or the coffee. He had forgotten to ask anyone where the coffee was. He was losing himself, clearly. His priorities were out of order, obviously. He could find his way to the kitchen counter—and did just that—but once he hit it, he wasn't entirely sure where to go. He knew roughly where the island was in relation to this counter and the fridge. The cabinets were to the left and the right of the fridge, though the oven was between the fridge and the cabinets on the right. He estimated three steps before he hit the island, sticking his hand out and catching the edge of it at his third step. Good, he could reorient himself this way.

"A-Aizawa-sensei?"

Aizawa stood frozen in the kitchen. It hadn't even occurred to him that someone was present in the kitchen or the common room. Of course, there was. The light was on. The class was smart enough not to just leave that on. Aizawa groaned, bowing his head.

"Midoriya… it's too late for you to be up," he says tiredly. "…what time is it?"

"Um… almost three a.m., sir…" Midoriya says sheepishly. Another voice cleared their throat beside him. A chair shifted on the opposite side.

"Just how many of you are down here?" Aizawa asked, running his hand through his hair.

"Please do not be mad," Todoroki says.

"I won't be if one of you gets me coffee or tea," Aizawa says. There was a scramble of chairs and Midoriya was first at the kitchen. He mumbled something under his breath, digging through the cabinets. "The lavender ones if there are any left."

"One, I think…" Midoriya muttered, routing through the cabinet. Todoroki came up beside him, crafting a block of ice and setting it gently into the tea kettle. He flicked on the burner next.

"What are you all doing down here?" Aizawa asked.

"We, um… we couldn't sleep," Midoriya mumbled.

"The meetings of The No Sleep Club are spontaneous and unplanned, sir," Tokoyami's voice drifted over. Aizawa took a moment to register those words.

"The what club?"

"It's what the class calls us," Todoroki explained. He grabbed a mug, tearing open the tea bag once Midoriya had successfully found the lavender packets.

"Dare I ask why."

"You're an unofficial member," Todoroki says. Midoriya elbowed him. "Ow."

"I'm not surprised," Aizawa admitted. He could hear the last chair moving across the floor quietly.

"Sir," Tokoyami greeted.

"Tokoyami. Just you three, then?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"I repeat: dare I ask why?"

"…nightmares," Todoroki says quietly. There as a sound of confirmation from both other boys as well. Aizawa sighed, crossing his arms.

"Well, then. At least you're not alone," Aizawa says. Midoriya shot him a questioning look. Todoroki caught Midoriya's gaze in his own. He flicked his eyes to Aizawa quizzically and Midoriya could only shrug. Tokoyami shook his head slowly, turning to Aizawa.

"Sensei, is that why you're awake as well?" he asks. Aizawa slowly nodded. The kettle screamed and Todoroki quickly took it off the burner. He made up Aizawa's tea, dragging out the honey from the cabinet.

"Honey?"

"Two spoons."

Midoriya rocked on his heels awkwardly. He looked up at Aizawa and took a steadying breath. Just as Todoroki was handing off the mug, Tokoyami gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. Midoriya had the suspicion Tokoyami had a similar question on his mind. He took a second steadying breath and turned his full attention on Aizawa, careful to wait until the man had finished his sip of tea before he asked.

"Aizawa-sensei? Was it about… um…" the question died on his tongue, the realization of just what he was about to ask slamming into the forefront of his mind, "D-do you want to... talk about it?"

Aizawa paused, mug still tentatively raised. Tokoyami looked just as uncomfortable as Midoriya felt. Usually, he spoke with Yamada about these things. But; Yamada wouldn't be back for at least an hour, if Aizawa still had his mental calendar in order. He a long sip of the tea and then hummed into the mug. He nodded his head to the table they'd come from. At first, none of them moved. Then, when Aizawa pushed off the island, all three boys were scrambling to regain their seats. He pulled one up next to, he thinks, Todoroki. He was basing it purely off the ambient temperature change in the air.

"USJ."

And just like that Midoriya was groaning into the table. Tokoyami deflated a little in relief. He patted Midoriya on the back. Todoroki extended his leg under the table, hooking Midoriya's foot in his own. Midoriya looked up at Aizawa. He pulled his old mug towards himself, taking a sip himself.

"S-sorry…"

"For what, Problem Child? You didn't do anything but try to help," Aizawa pointed out. Then, quieter, "I'm glad you're here."

Midoriya's face flushed instantly. He hid it behind his mug, despite the eye covering, and gave a shaky breath. Aizawa set his mug down. He tapped the scar under his eye.

"Problem Child."

"Y-yes, sensei?"

"This," he tapped the scar again. "Is my reminder that you kids lived."

"B-but…"

"And the scarring on my arms. And my legs. I don't blame you for what the Nomu did."

"But… I know, I just…" Midoriya trailed off. Todoroki reached his hand across the table, rubbing a circle on the back of Midoriya's palm.

"If you're about to say "could have done more" I want you to stop that thought process right there," Aizawa orders. Before Midoriya could retort with whatever excuse he had—Aizawa had used and heard them all himself—Aizawa spoke again. "I think the same thing, but would you ever tell me that?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Then why doesn't that same logic apply to you?" he asks. Aizawa let him soak in that thought for a moment. He finished off his tea with a satisfied sigh, setting the mug down. "Just because it haunts you doesn't mean you didn't do what you could. You did what you could. And you helped make sure Asui is still alive."

"So did you…"

"And yet," Aizawa waved his hand. "I'm also awake at 3 a.m., aren't I?"

"…o-oh… oh—I'm sorry! I didn't know that that… I'm sorry, I didn't know that's what it was about—" Midoriya stutters out.

"It's fine, Problem Child. This is why the school employs Hound Dog."

"His sessions help…" Tokoyami admits quietly. Midoriya rested his cheek on the table.

"I understand…"

Aizawa nodded, leaning back on the back legs of the chair, his knee propped on the table edge. Silence filled the room. Todoroki shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He turned to Aizawa after a few minutes, his free hand fisting his pajama pants.

"Aizawa-sensei?"

"Hm?"

Todoroki straightened up in his chair. He took a breath and turned to the man. "Aizawa-sensei, do you have dreams about the summer camp…?"

"I have dreams about a lot of things, but yes."

"Oh…. Do you come downstairs every time?"

"No."

The room was silent again. This time it was more of a suffocating silence, though, and Aizawa felt more than uncomfortable in it.

"I don't come downstairs because they're usually not this bad," he admits. He ran his hand through his hair again. Todoroki was nodding slowly beside him. Midoriya and Tokoyami both had looked up at him expectantly. "Moving around helps… and usually Yamada is here."

"You go to him when they get bad?" Midoriya asks. When Aizawa nodded, he sat up straighter, calmer now. "I do the same thing… not the same person every time, but… I don't know, it just helps."

"I know," Aizawa says. "You children really think I don't know you're not always in your rooms?"

"Y-y-you knew?!"

"Problem Child, we do random checks on the dorms, of course I know you go to someone else's rooms occasionally," Aizawa says. Todoroki was looking down at the table, his own face starting to turn red. He had never been more jealous of Tokoyami's feathers. No one could tell if the boy was ever flustered. Aizawa snapped his fingers, getting their attentions. "I just admitted to doing the same. Would be rather hypocritical of me to punish you kids for doing the same, wouldn't it?"

Midoriya stuttered, unable to form words, defaulting to just nodding. He shook his head once he remembered that wasn't going to work.

"Thank you, sensei," Tokoyami says in his stead.

"Mm. Would save me a few panic attacks if you occasionally left a note, though," Aizawa adds. Midoriya snorted.

The dorm door opened, preceding Yamada sighing tiredly. He let it swing shut behind him and kicked off his shoes. He sauntered into the room and paused, seeing the group at the table. The kids greeted him tiredly. He waved, gaze caught on Aizawa for a moment. Midoriya tilted his head, following his gaze.

Shit, think, thinkthinkthinkthink, Yamada thought. It was so unfair that Aizawa left the hoodie unzipped. Doubly so that it was his merch.

"Shou, you stole my sweatshirt," he said. He mentally slapped himself for it immediately.

Not what he'd planned to say by a mile, but it at least could explain his staring. He marched up to the table, hands on his hips, ready to ask just what the group of them were doing, when he then spotted the ring hanging around Aizawa's neck.

"…Nightmare?" he asked tentatively. Aizawa just nodded. Yamada hummed. He patted the man's shoulder. "Ready to try sleep again…?"

"Mmm," Aizawa grimaced. "No."

"Fair enough! Well, Little Listeners, I suspect you've got him handled. I have to shower. I am filthy."

"You just touched me."

"I touched my sweatshirt," Yamada corrected playfully. He gave one last pat before starting for the stairs. "Let me know when you're ready, Shou!"

"Mhm."

Aizawa circled the top of his mug with his finger. He really wasn't ready to try sleep again. Not for another hour, at least, until his heartrate started to properly level out and he didn't feel like scratching his skin raw. Midoriya cleared his throat, readjusting in his seat.

"I-I usually go to Shouta. Or Kacchan," Midoriya says.

"…Uh huh?"

"I go to Shoji," Tokoyami admitted. "Usually."

"…Izuku or Katsuki," Todoroki says quietly. Aizawa nodded slowly in understanding.

"I used to go to Nemuri occasionally," he admitted. "But, she isn't in this building. Yamada and she I've known the longest."

Tokoyami set his head on Midoriya's shoulder, feeling groggy. Todoroki leaned back in his chair. Midoriya laid his head in his arms, resting on his cheek.

"Thanks, Aizawa-sensei…"

"No problem, Problem Children," Aizawa says quietly. He reached forward, patting Midoriya's head. "Now go to bed."

Translations:

Ich werde die Klappe halten, wenn du mich küsst – I'll shut up when you kiss me~

oh, pauvres âmes, vous n'avez pas entendu ! – Oh, you poor souls, you haven't heard!