For a moment, there was silence.

Yagi watched Aizawa's face, waiting for some kind of reaction. Only the imperceptible frown gave any indication that he had actually heard the older man.

"I was expecting at least a raised eyebrow." Yagi grumbled, more to himself.

The conversation only began because Aizawa initiated it. He had come out of the dorms to get some air, obviously perplexed about something. Yagi, on his way to his own apartment in the teacher's dorm, suggested he talk it out as they walked.

"What is Midorya to you?". Aizawa asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as they walked. He looked too casual without his scarf and his hair pulled back. Then again, it was pretty late. "That's what Bakugo asked you, during the home visits."

"Yeah?"

"So why do I get the feeling you were lying to him?"

Damn the man's perceptiveness. If Yagi knew anything about Eraserhead, it was that he wouldn't have come with unfounded accusations. He was the type to wait until he had enough information, and he didn't often jump to conclusions from nothing.

"I'm not-"

"Bullshit. There's a reason Midorya and Bakugo were caught fighting last night, and you know as well as I do that it wasn't just a guilt trip."

The expletive surprised him-Yagi's eyebrows shot up. But it explained why Aizawa seemed agitated- he didn't like missing out on important stuff.

The way he saw it, Toshinori had three options. Lie, which Aizawa would see through in a heartbeat, dodge the question, which Aizawa wouldn't let him do, or tell him the truth.

The truth seemed so outlandish now that it was out there in the breeze. The pair had stopped walking while he processed, and a cold chill caused Toshi to shiver. Aizawa began walking again, albeit absentmindedly.

"Please say something."

"You gave a fourteen-year-old kid your quirk?"

"I mean….when you say it like that it sounds bad."

"Toshinori-" Aizawa grunted in disbelief. "All-Might, why wouldn't you tell me this? I'm supposed to be helping him develop a quirk that he hasn't even had for a year?!"

This was probably the most agitated Toshinori had ever seen him. "I made sure he was ready. His potential-"

"His potential won't keep him from getting killed, or destroying his body over and over! Obviously, he wasn't ready."

Yagi's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just about the quirk. Something else was bothering Aizawa, and he had a feeling he knew what it was.

"You worried?" He stopped walking and the man whipped around to face him.

"Of course I'm worried." Aizawa shot back, and then he realized what he had just said. A smug look crossed Yagi's face and he grew defensive. Toshinori could have sworn his cheeks flushed slightly under his pale skin. "But not about that."

"Then what bothers you?"

"The league." Now relatively calm, Aizawa's shoulders sagged. Yagi got the impression that he'd been thinking about this a while. "Midorya is learning to use his power, but how many more times will the league come after him before he's mastered it?"

"What are you implying?"

"His classmates will feel the repercussions of you giving the boy your quirk." Aizawa explained. "They already have."

He was right, as usual. There weren't any guarantees that All-Might could make. He was powerless now.

They were nearing a bench. Toshinori could feel his chest constricting in an uncomfortable way. A cough bubbled at his lips. He sat heavily on the bench, but Aizawa chose to remain standing.

"In truth-" he sighed heavily, "I wasn't sure how much time I had left with my abilities and my injury. The whole reason I came to UA was to find a successor."

"I wondered…" Whether out of exhaustion or just irritability, Aizawa plopped down on the opposite end.

"Midorya just seemed like the right choice. I can't really explain it, but it was like a gut feeling. It had to be him."

Aizawa studied the main from the corner of his eye. His normally vibrant blues seemed dull, and he looked so small now compared to the towering hero he used to be. Something else was wrong, something the former-number-one wasn't saying.

"That's not all, is it?" It was soft, caring, and so unlike Aizawa that Toshi looked at him, mouth slightly open in surprise.

The man had turned to face him, one leg crossed on the bench and his arm slung along the back.

Slowly, he closed his mouth. "Look, I-"

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay." Aizawa let his arm fall into his lap and leaned against the back. "But whatever you do, I suggest you tell Midorya everything at least. With that type of quirk... he'll need to know the risks, even the ones you might not want to share."

Toshi smirked and gave him the side-eye. "So you are worried about him?"

"Never said I wasn't." Aizawa grumbled. Toshi let out a hum of a laugh and the air fell silent around them.

"Will you keep this between us?" He replied after a moment, glancing hesitantly at his coworker.

"I won't say anything." Aizawa reassured him.

It was strange to think that a year ago, Shouta borderline hated All-Might, the symbol of arrogance and all that was wrong with superheroes. Now, they were almost-comfortable in each other's company. While he didn't necessarily agree with Toshinori's decision, he could understand why it was made. The amount of faith and determination All-Might had with regards to Midorya was admirable.

He didn't have to tell Aizawa anything. He could have walked away or lied through his teeth. Instead, he was honest.

Aizawa liked him a little bit more for it.

OoOoOoO

A/N: If you like it, drop a review :)