"Okay," Aizawa shifted towards him. "What's up?"

"I don't—" Izuku paused and squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, "How do I put this?" Suddenly the world felt too hot, his clothes too heavy, and his body just… wrong. Was he making a mistake by telling him about the other world? The last thing he wanted to do was put his mentor in more danger than he was already in by associating with him.

"I don't belong here."

"Oh."

Izuku took in a shaky breath before continuing.

"Y-yeah. I mean there's more to it than that but, yeah. I'm not from this world. I came from somewhere different. It's a place where things are the complete opposite from here. Where you and everybody else save people. As heroes."

"I think I understand," Aizawa said.

Izuku nearly choked on his spit. "You do?! Wait what?"

"When I was your age I often felt the same way. Crime rates in Japan had just begun to spiral out of control and nobody seemed like they wanted to do anything about it."

"Oh, you thought–"

"Even when I was a vigilante I still felt like I didn't belong," Aizawa continued, seemingly unaware of Izuku's growing anxiety. "I mean the law was against me and so were most people. It was hard to find my place."

When Aizawa finished, Izuku found himself racing to speak before his thoughts got the best of him. "Thank you, for opening up, sensei. Really. But… I, uh, I was being literal."

He was already second-guessing this whole thing but the longer he went without telling the truth, the worse his stomach twisted.

"As in..?" Aizawa asked, one brow raised.

Izuku fumbled with the drawstrings of his hoodie and pulled until the majority of his head was concealed.

"As in… I'm not from this world."

He did it to avoid Aizawa's gaze, so he wasn't really sure how the man had reacted until he heard a tsk.

"Kid, I swear to god, if you're about to tell me that you were actually a ghost all along–"

"No!" Izuku tore the hood off and violently shook his head. The last thing they needed right now was miscommunication. "No, I am very real, sensei. I'm just not from this world… as in, there is another one that resembles this one and I come from there."

The chief's shoulders visibly slumped as he let out a soft, but relieved, "oh."

"It's actually really super, duper similar," Izuku continued hesitantly. "Other than the fact that most of the population has superpowers which we call quirks— and when I say most I mean it; they are literally everywhere. Invisibility, super speed, the ability to produce chips out of your left palm, you freaking name it, it probably exists—"

"Wait, slow down. You said, quirks. Correct?"

"Mhm."

"And everyone just has them?"

"Yep."

Aizawa's face remained impassive and void of any emotion during their entire exchange. Izuku wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing but he kept going.

"The mirror versions of you, your husband, and most of the members of the squad have quirks! Did you know that Officer Nishiya's entire body is made out of wood? He can grow his limbs like branches and use them to trap bad guys! His hero name is Kamui Woods. Oh, oh, oh and don't get me started on Officer Nemuri-san. She goes by Midnight in my world, the X-Rated hero—"

Both of Aizawa's eyebrows shot up to his hairline this time and Izuku let out a nervous laugh in between explanations.

"—don't worry it's not as bad as it sounds." He stopped and called to mind Midnight's costume. Thankfully, Izuku was wearing his mask so the massive blush was not visible as it spread across his face. "Actually, she does use a whip. And her quirk puts others to sleep. So, I guess in a way it is as bad as it sounds? But anyway! Y-your husband has a quirk too."

"Does he now?" Aizawa asked. Izuku pretended not to notice the tiny smirk on his face. "Does it involve annoying me in any kind of way?"

Izuku ran a hand through his hair and laughed, this time fully and out loud. "Er, maybe! His voice gets really loud, like destroy-a-building type of loud."

Aizawa blinked.

"How fitting."

Izuku nodded as he scrambled for things to say. There was just so much! He actually missed geeking out over heroes and found himself getting more comfortable with his hand mannerisms and volume.

"Oh! And, I, um, I don't really know if you two are together in my world. I actually never met any of you in person. Maybe you're dating and you've been keeping it a secret. Or maybe you're already married just like here. I wonder if Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady are dating… oh, wait! Mt. Lady is Takeyama, by the way. I hope she's doing alright, in, er, both worlds. Anyway, her quirk lets her grow really, really big and—"

"What about me?"

It was the first time Aizawa had interrupted him.

"Left the best for last, I see."

Aizawa was clearly joking, but Izuku still mentally chastised himself for not telling him about himself before everyone else.

"O-of course! I'm so sorry, sensei. Your quirk is the ability to erase other people's quirks. Hence your hero name, Eraserhead. All you have to do is make eye contact and hold it. Your hair flies up around your head when you do it too. It's really cool, even if you do get dry eyes real quick. You also work at night in the underground. Way less flashy than the daylight heroes, but still pretty awesome."

Aizawa's eyes widened slightly. It was subtle, but Izuku picked up on it immediately. "Wait, is that why you knew–"

But the chief didn't finish his thought. He seemed to clamp down on his mouth and looked away.

Izuku cocked his head to the side.

"Hm?"

"Never mind."

Aizawa looked like he wanted to say more. Or… not?

Oh no, maybe he's overwhelmed. Did I speak too fast? Does he just not… care? Does none of this phase him?! Gosh it's so hard to read his face! Izuku thought to himself as he scanned his sensei's face for some kind of cue to continue or stop. Instead, he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"You're taking this better than I thought you would. Are you sure you don't have any questions?"

Aizawa finally turned to him again, the faint smile back on his lips. "Oh no, kid. I'm good. You know, until the shock wears off. Then I'll probably stay up for the rest of my life thinking about my double and how much cooler than me he already seems."

Izuku grinned suddenly. "Well, I never really met Eraserhead, but if he's anything like you, well, he might have some competition! Being a hero is overrated anyway. Everyone's doing it back there. Being a vigilante is clearly superior."

Aizawa reached over and ruffled Izuku's hair, grumbling something along the lines of, "sap" and "that was so cheesy but I'm too tired to call you out on it."

But the thanks was loud and clear.

Izuku's grin widened as he leaned into Aizawa's touch, eventually resting his head on the man's shoulder. The two stayed that way for a while until Aizawa shifted and started speaking again.

"Okay, I take that back. I do have a question. Two, actually."

Questions. Two. I can handle that, Izuku thought with a confident nod.

"You seem like you knew a lot about the heroes in your world."

"Yep," Izuku saluted, "certified fan boy at your service, sir!"

Aizawa snorted but kept his head lowered. He wore an expression Izuku had never seen before. It seemed wistful, even. "Then by any chance, does the name Loud Cloud ring a bell to you?" There was a pause. "Did he… did he ever become a hero?"

Izuku racked his brain as he tried to figure out if he had ever heard that name before, but he wasn't sure he ever had. "Loud Cloud? N-no. I'm sorry, sensei."

Aizawa nodded, as if in defeat and remained quiet.

Izuku chewed on his bottom lip. He wondered if this was the person Aizawa-sensei had mentioned during their training. "Was he…"

"My best friend," Aizawa said softly. "I figured, if he was anything like the person I knew here, then he'd definitely become a hero over there."

Izuku nodded but he didn't say anything else.

Once again, they were enveloped in silence.

"You, um, said there was another question?" Izuku asked, hoping to find something to distract him with.

"It's more of a concern, actually."

"Y-yeah?"

To say Izuku wasn't feeling nervous was an understatement.

"How exactly did you get here?"

Oh.

Izuku furrowed his brow. "To be honest, I'm not sure. Back in my world, my friend was being attacked by a villain and I just sort of tried to save him? Even though I shouldn't have because I didn't have a quirk and after that I spawned here like some kind of video game loading zone or something—"

"Wait, you didn't have a quirk?" Aizawa turned towards him with a slight frown on his otherwise stoic face. "Explain."

Izuku winced. He had not meant to reveal his quirklessness so soon. It still felt weird to confess, like he was going to get rejected from something that didn't exist anymore. Plus, the last thing he wanted to do was confuse the man.

"Sorry, sensei, but that's another mystery. Back there, I was a part of the 20% of people that are born with no superhuman capabilities. We have an extra toe joint. Well, I guess I still am Quirkless technically? I don't know what changed or how I got my powers. Kids normally inherit their parent's abilities or some variation of the two. Mutations are a thing but they're rare. None of those things happened for me. I… I don't know what would happen if I were to ever go back somehow either. Would I be Quirkless again? Would I remember this? You?"

Izuku started to panic, his heart beat picking back up in his chest. He hadn't thought about this in so long, he hadn't had the time. And now, it dawned on him that there might be a possibility of him going back without him wanting to. Just like how he got here in the first place. He might never see Mr. Aizawa-sensei again. He might not have his powers or a friendly Kacchan anymore. Things might go back to the way they were and he would lose… everything.

"Is it wrong that I don't want to go back?" Izuku asked, his voice cracking slightly. "I used to have these nightmares where I would wake up and I was there again. And…and there was no way I could leave. Sensei, I know I don't exactly fit in here with my powers and all, but is it weird that I feel like I belonged there even less?" Izuku couldn't even finish the last question as a small sob escaped him.

"S-sorry," he aggressively wiped at his eyes. "I don't like thinking about it because I get like this. I—"

Before he knew it, Aizawa had pulled him in for a hug; the arm draped around Izuku holding him like a lifeline.

"Listen, Kit," Aizawa's voice rumbled beside him, "I don't know what's going on half of the time when it involves you, but if you've taught me anything, it's that hope is out there. Heroes exist— literally now I guess. That is, if I can wrap my head around what you just told me. And if that means I have to come out of retirement as Eraserhead to fight whatever supernatural force brought you here and wants to take you back, then so be it."

Izuku blinked back more tears. "Sensei… I, I don't know what to say."

Aizawa grunted quietly. "Then don't say anything at all and go home. It's late and you should sleep."

"But I have so much more I want to tell you!" Izuku pouted as he untangled himself from the chief and stood up to stretch.

Aizawa grinned, his teeth glowing in the moonlight like a mischievous cat. "I gotta process this, kid. It's like I said, I don't think I'll be sleeping much any time soon. Lots to think about."

Izuku snickered quietly. "Okay. But before I go I just… I wanted to say thanks."

"For what?"

"For hearing me out and always trusting me."

Aizawa's smile morphed into something more tender.

"Always, Kit."

—

As he watched Kitsune walk away, Aizawa thought about many things. He wasn't sure his mind was functioning correctly, but he still wondered.

In truth, he had never speculated much about the origins of the kid. He just sort of popped up one day. Like a video game spawn— is that what he had said? Kit's supernatural capabilities— well, quirk— had definitely preoccupied his rational mind. Who could blame him?

Aizawa also found himself thinking back to the day they met. The day they really met. Because although Kitsune might not have remembered it, he had given Aizawa the key to figuring out who he was by saying that name before he passed out during the festival.

Eraserhead.

Izuku Midoriya had called him the same thing when they first met. The day of the fire.

Is that why you knew my vigilante name? Because you're the kid from the fire? Aizawa had wanted to ask, but he thought against it. For one, he wanted to be absolutely sure the two were the same. And plus, the last thing he wanted to do was stress Kitsune, no, Izuku Midoriya, out even more than he should. He could tell the boy was one question away from breaking down after all that he revealed. And it was quite the revelation indeed.

A part of Aizawa, the logical side, wanted to shut it down immediately. An almost parallel universe? Where mostly everyone had a quirk? Unheard of. That wasn't even a thing in most hero comics from today.

But Aizawa's other side, the one he had started to embrace more ever since he met Kitsune, was telling him that everything coming out of that boy's mouth was the truth. He had given the chief no reason not to believe him in the last eight months that they had 'worked' together.

Once again, Aizawa was reminded of how young the boy was, and how large and strange the world made itself out to be in contrast to him.

And to think, his father was the one who saved me, Aizawa looked up to the stars. He supposed they bore a resemblance, although Aizawa had not spent much time with Izuku himself. He wondered if Hisashi Midoriya was a hero back there too.

Lots to think about indeed.

Damn that post-grad depression hit me hard y'all. BUT YA GIRL FINALLY GOT HIRED! Had to put all of my hobbies on pause as I tried to get a job. It isn't exactly what I wanted and the hours kind of suck BUT I am getting an income. So here is a chapter just for you :3 I've been thinking a lot about the direction of this fic and honestly I'm a bit of a different person now than when I started writing it. I know it's not the best and it's longer than I intended, but as much as I want to rewrite it, I think you all deserve to see how the initial plot ends!