A/N: Ah yes! Another day, another update. . . Welcome to the latest chapter of Family Runs Deep everyone!

So, a lot happened in the canon storyline between this chapter and the last one I posted, and all I can say, it's wild . . . very, very wild, and so damn tense.

AFO . . . he really is such a devious prick.

The levels of therapy our heroes will need once this is all over. . .

I could rant all day about this, but we got a chapter to get to. Enjoy!


Chapter 27: After the Raid Pt. 3

"Can you please wipe that smug look off your face?!"

It was the fifth time Present Mic asked the question since they entered the building, but no matter how many times he asked, Midnight remained unmoved. Her face-splitting grin was still in place, and only seemed to grow larger each time he asked.

"Aw Mikey!" She cheerily said, addressing him by the nickname she knew he hated, and doing it with glee as she twirled the end of Aizawa's combat scarf like she was swinging a lasso. "I would love to, but I enjoyed the predicament I found you in too much to really stop. . . It's not every day you get to find one of your closest friends hogtied in the bushes outside of your place of work, right?"

"Out of all the people that could have found me, it had to be you. It just had to be you." The blonde whined as he looked off to the side. "A security bot would have been more preferable!"

"Mic, the security bots are sentient enough to see the amusement of the predicament I found you in!"

"And our fellow humans?"

"I'm sure plenty of them would have chuckled as well," Midnight countered, only to grimace as Present Mic turned to her in disbelief. "Okay, okay, so those with a lot more sense would be a little suspicious or worried if they found you like that . . . But I'm not like most people."

"You never were Nemu. You have your own sense of individuality, and you wear it with pride," Mic conceded, shaking his head as the woman practically preened at his words. "But still, you did free me in the end, so I thank you for that."

"It was my pleasure," She admitted, grinning smugly as she wrapped Aizawa's scarf around her shoulders like a feathered boa. "But if you really want to thank me, you can tell me why Shouta tied you up in the first place!"

"I'm sure you already have your theories. . ."

"Oh, I certainly do, but I would love to hear the truth from your lips," She admitted, grinning sincerely. "Like seriously Hizashi, what did you do to force Shouta's hand like this?"

"Well, I may have admitted to Shizuna that Shouta has a crush on her . . . Does that answer your question?"

His words did so much more.

It stopped her in her tracks, and when the Voice Hero turned around to see why she stopped, it was his turn to wear the satisfied smirk. "Yep, should have known that this would be your reaction."

"AND CAN YOU BLAME ME?!" She practically shrieked. "You and Shouta always get on my case about exposing too much, and yet here you are, admitting that you just exposed one of your best friend's biggest secrets to the woman that the secret is centered around?!"

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound hypocritical and ironic on my part, doesn't it?"

"You think Bananahead?!" Nemu gloated, smirking at the scowl Hizashi now wore. ". . . My oh my, look how the turn tables."

"Did you just quote "The Cubicle" at me?!" Mic deadpanned as her smirk became a full-blown smile.

"Damn straight I did!" She admitted, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "But still! I can't believe you outed Shouta like that Mic!"

"I didn't mean to! Honest, it just slipped out!" He said in his defense. "And man, you should have seen the look on Shouta's face! He was beyond pissed with me!"

"I would be too if I was in his introverted, antisocial shoes," Nemu bit back. "I'm actually amazed Aizawa didn't strangle you then and there."

"For a minute, I think he wanted to . . . But, to tell you the truth, I don't really regret what I did. In fact, my words were the push he needed in the right direction."

"You blabbing that Shouta has a crush on Shizuna, to Shizuna, was pushing him in the right direction?"

"Technically, it was the words I spoke after revealing the crush that really did it, but you were close," Mic corrected as the two turned a corner. "After he had me all tied up, I saw a spark in his eyes that I hadn't seen in a long time . . . I'm used to his "I'm gonna whip these brats into proper shape" kind of determination, but this? This was different!"

"Sounds like our cat and nap loving friend has finally grown a pair," Midnight mused. Hizashi nodded in agreement. "But do you really think Aizawa can seal the deal? The man's not known for being a romantic."

"Then again, no one has caught his attention like Shizuna has," Mic countered. "I don't think we need to worry about him Nemu. He'll be fine. . . Yes, he's not a hopeless romantic type, but when has Shizuna ever liked that kind of stuff in the first place?"

"Never!"

"Exactly!" Mic cheered, grinning from ear to ear. "I'm confident that Shouta can do this . . . Besides, he's too logical to fuck this up anyway."

"Still, logic and emotions don't tend to mix well, especially when it comes to Shouta," Nemu mumbled, ignoring the pout that suddenly appeared on the blonde's face. ". . . Well, let's hope he doesn't fuck this up then."

"Nice to know you have so much faith in me, Nemu. . . Real nice."

The voice, dripping heavy with sarcasm, startled Mic and Midnight so much that they both almost leapt in the air, with the former almost screaming in shock.

Operative word being almost, thanks to the owner of said voice activating Erasure to prevent it from happening.

When the two turned around, they found Aizawa and Shizuna staring at them from a few feet away. While Shizuna looked quite amused by their reaction, Aizawa was visibly annoyed, the two having heard some of what their friends just said before they made their presence known.

Mic and Midnight were already thinking about what they could say in their defense when their gazes suddenly went downward, their eyes widening mightily when they saw that the Erasure Hero and the Katana Wielder were holding hands.

Shouta Aizawa had, indeed, not fuck things up.

"Holy shit you did it!" Nemu whispered as she looked up at Aizawa's still annoyed face. "You got the girl after all!"

"Hey!" Shizuna piped up, her eyes narrowing. "Said girl still has a name, remember?!"

"See Midnight! I told you Shouta could do it!" Mic powered on as Midnight looked over at Shizuna apologetically, grinning from ear to ear. "And you had the audacity to doubt him."

"Technically, in her defense, because of my poor track history with relationships, she had every reason to doubt me. I'll concede that much."

"Even when something is going your way, you still can't help but be a little self-deprecating huh?" Shizuna was quick to ask as she looked over at the raven-haired man, just as Midnight grinned victorious at Present Mic.

"It's a habit of mine that I haven't been able to break, I must admit," He conceded as he looked at her in turn.

"Oh yes, now that I think about it, you always did have a habit of putting others over yourself when we were younger, even when you didn't need to," Shizuna said in return, smirking as a look of disbelief crossed his face. ". . . Didn't think I would notice, did ya?"

"I was hoping you hadn't," He grumbled as he looked off to the side, though he didn't sound too upset that she had noticed that little character tic of his.

"Nope! In fact, it only made me notice you even more!" She said with amusement as she turned his head back around with her free hand, making sure that they were now eye to eye. "To be honest, I thought it was nice of you to give others their credit, even if it was only for the sake of diverting attention away from yourself."

"So, I wasn't being that subtle after all then?" He asked as she moved her hand to his cheek, trying hard not to look like a cat pleased with the attention it was getting.

"Not in my eyes, no," She admitted, being a little cheeky as she pulled her hand away. ". . . Midnight, Mic, put your phones away."

Moment now officially over, Shouta quickly turned around to see his friends slowly putting their hands down, both with phones in hand, both likely having taken quite a few snapshots before they were caught.

"You just can't help yourselves, can't ya?!" Shouta accused as he glared at them, failing to keep his irritation out of his tone as his eyes started to glow red.

"No, but can you honestly blame us?!" Midnight asked, grinning from ear to ear. "You two are cute together!"

"We're happy for you guys!" Mic added. "As two of your closest friends, we only want the best for the both of you, and that is each other."

"Aw, that's so sweet of you to say," Shizuna admitted, though her face soon turned suspicious as a new thought occurred to her, a look that only made Aizawa smirk in return. ". . . You're not just saying that to lower our guard for teasing later down the line, are you?"

"Knowing them, it's practically a given," Aizawa answered for them, scowling slightly as their grins grew bigger in return. ". . . I knew it."

"Ah Shizuna-senpai, you know me too well," Mic admitted with theatrical flourish. "But don't worry. I'm not pulling that move just yet."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Aizawa mused as he turned to Midnight. "And what about you?"

"Oh, I make no promises," She confidently declared, her face turning devious. "Be prepared for plenty of teasing in the days to come."

"Of course, you have no plans to hold back," The Erasure Hero growled, Shizuna's grip on his hand being the only reason he hadn't grabbed his scarf back to wrap her up in it.

Instead, he opted to move forward, Shizuna following right beside him as they moved past their friends. "We'll see you later. Recovery Girl is expecting us."

"I'm sure she is!" MIdnight called after their retreating forms. Once the new couple were out of sight, she grabbed Mic by his collar and started moving in the opposite direction, her smile almost maniacal. "C'mon Mic! We got people to see!"

"I really don't like that look on your face Nemu," Mic mumbled, letting himself get dragged along, having gone through this treatment plenty of times before with her. "Here's to hoping Shouta and Shizuna-senpai are in a forgiving mood the next time we see them . . . Looks like Nemu is on the warpath."


F ~ x ~ R ~ x ~ D

"So, getting back to what we were talking about before we ran into Mic and Midnight, you're not a blackout drunk after all?" Shizuna mused as they turned into the corridor where Recovery Girl's office was located, her words making Aizawa's face turn sheepish.

"I was, for a time," Aizawa quietly admitted, shaking his head, and wondering how their line of conversation landed on his history with liquor in the first place. "I've managed to build up my tolerance for alcohol over the years, well, barely, but if I drink on an empty stomach . . . Yes, I'm out like a light after one, maybe two drinks. It depends on what I'm drinking."

"And you haven't drunk anything on an empty stomach recently, right?"

"No, well, not on purpose," Aizawa admitted. ". . . Let's just say my brain was too sleep deprived to notice the difference between water and sake one time, and I'll just leave it at that."

"Hmm, very well. . ." Shizuna conceded as she looked forward, willing to leave it at that, and Aizawa couldn't help but smirk in return.

Unlike Midnight and Mic, Madam Blade wasn't one to pester you for details when they weren't necessary, or just for the sake of gossip. She was someone that preferred to listen when you needed an ear, letting you unload your troubles while she sat there, while giving sound advice, if you asked for it, once you were done.

That kind of quality made her the best sounding board you could ask for.

Plus, it didn't hurt that her voice had a husky element to it that Shouta really enjoyed listening to.

When the two finally entered the infirmary, they found Recovery Girl tightening the bandages around All Might's torso. The Symbol of Peace, now back in his default skeletal form, was obviously in some discomfort as the woman worked her magic, but held his tongue. Recovery Girl must have taken this as a sign that he'd finally take her medical advice seriously for once, but only time would tell.

It was quite a sight, one that Shouta and Shizuna were more than happy to not interfere with. . .

. . . Well, at least Shouta was.

"Should we even interrupt them?" He dared to ask, speaking quietly so that the others wouldn't hear him. "It looks like Recovery Girl is on a roll!"

"I don't know . . . She did call for us to come up after all, but on the other hand, it would be rude for us to interrupt her work," Shizuna mumbled. "How about we just wait till they notice we're here then?"

"I can agree to that," Aizawa conceded, the two of them sticking close to the wall as they continued to watch the treatment unfold.

"There, that should do it!" The old woman proclaimed as she leaned back in her chair. "It should hold you over till I get you checked into the nearby hospital for overnight observation. If you can make it through the night, you're free to go after that."

"Good to hear!" All Might said in return, only to get one swift swat to the head for his troubles. "What was that for?!"

"Think of it as a preemptive strike for when you fail to heed my eventual advice to rest for a few days!" She bit back, her words shutting up the blonde immediately. "I don't know which one of you has a harder time resting: you or Aizawa?"

The comment almost caused Shizuna to laugh, but she held it in, conscious of the man she was still holding hands with. As for Aizawa, the question may have annoyed him, but he couldn't say that the old woman was wrong.

"Well, why don't you ask him then? He and Onizaki are standing right over there!" Yagi challenged her, glad that he had a chance to divert the woman's attention to another target, which he had no shame pointing to.

Recovery Girl shot All Might a sharp look for his remark before turning to see the two teachers standing at the other side of the room. She was going to turn back around, only to stop in her tracks when she saw their conjoined hands. ". . . It finally happened."

"It finally happened?" Shouta grumbled as the two stepped forward. "You're making it sound like there's some long-standing bet among the faculty centered around how long it would take for Shizuna and I to get together. . . Oh don't tell me. . ."

"Hmm, looks like Onizaki's guessing skills are already rubbing off on you," Recovery Girl mumbled as she turned in her chair, her words making Aizawa scowl even further. "The idea of you two becoming an item has been a big debate in the staff room in recent weeks. From what I've heard, the betting pool is fairly recent, but every department has at least one member participating at this point."

"Just our rotten luck," Aizawa growled before looking over at Shizuna. "How long do you think it's going to take before Mic and Midnight start blabbing to the others?"

"Who says they haven't done it already?"

Her comment only made him grimace further.

"Hmm, I wouldn't put it past them to blab about your newfound happiness without your permission, especially Midnight, but you two can worry about that later," Recovery Girl stated before turning to All Might again. "I'm done with you for now, but you will be coming with me once the meeting is over. Do I make myself clear?"

"As clear as freshly polished crystal Recovery Girl," Yagi conceded as he slipped his shirt back on, a spare one just his size since the original was too torn and bloody to wear now.

As he made his way to the exit, he couldn't help but say a quick word of congratulations to his fellow heroes before leaving, receiving a quick thanks in return from Shizuna, while Aizawa answered back with a simple nod, the latter coming as a pleasant surprise for the Symbol of Peace, who long had the feeling that the man didn't like him much.

"Now then, before we begin, care to tell me how you two, well. . ." She gestured at their intertwined hands. ". . . Reached this point?"

"We talked, and it helped us realize a few things that we never really knew about each other," Shizuna answered, choosing to remain vague.

"And who, pray tell, initiated said talk?" She dared to ask as she looked between the two, her eyes lingering more on Shouta rather than Shizuna.

"Oh, I have a feeling that you already know the answer to your own question," Shouta admitted as the woman's face stretched into a genuine smile. "So, are you going to examine us or what?"

"Of course, of course. Job first, gossip second," She mused as she started to clear away the tools and materials she used on All Might. "Okay then, who's first?"

"Well, ladies of course!" Came Aizawa's immediate reply as he gestured for the blonde to take a seat on the examination table.

"But you have the more serious injury though," Shizuna countered, seeing what the man was planning from a mile away. "I can wait."

She knew that Shouta was always hesitant when it came to getting medical assistance from Recovery Girl, and though he would eventually accept it in the end, unless he was that gravely injured or completely incapable of making the decision for himself, he always made sure that he was the last one in line.

If she had to guess why, he was probably uncomfortable with the way the old woman kisses.

Recovery Girl's kisses simply weren't for everyone.

"And I was trying to be nice." He mumbled, visibly ignoring the knowing grin on the old woman's face.

"For his sake, I'll look you over first Onizaki," Recovery Girl declared as the woman finally took a seat on the table. "Aizawa has always been the reluctant one when it comes to seeking medical care from me, even when he knows it's for his own good."

"I'm not reluctant to seek you out for medical help, Recovery Girl," Aizawa admitted, his tone matter of fact as he brought over an empty chair to the table's side.

"Well, not all the time. Only when you're certain that you won't need my quirk for your healing," She corrected as she looked him over with a knowing look. ". . . It's because of the way I kiss, isn't it?"

"Sometimes I think you overdo it, yes," Aizawa was surprisingly quick to admit, figuring that if she was willing to ask the question, he might as well have the courtesy to give her an honest answer.

"You always were an honest one . . . And, well, you may have your reservations when getting a kiss from me, but I'm sure you'll have none of that when it's someone else doing the kissing."

"I see that your wit is as sharp as ever," Aizawa complained, wishing he had taken his scarf from Nemuri when he had the chance earlier, mostly to hide the blush that was threatening to show.

Instead, all he could do was tuck his chin into his chest as his face grew red, quietly watching Shizuna as she gave the old woman a disbelieving stare while her back was turned.

"I may be old, but my mind is as sharp as a steel trap," The older woman admitted, grinning from ear to ear as she turned her attention back on Shizuna. "So, how are you feeling?"

"I've been through worse," She admitted as she pulled down her collar to show the slash marks on her shoulder. Thanks to her natural healing factor, the wounds had long sealed closed, leaving behind raised red skin that noticeably contrasted with the rest of her naturally pale flesh.

"And your leg? You have wounds there, correct?" Recovery Girl asked as she noticed that Aizawa was now looking away, still with a blush on his face. "Protecting her modesty, eh? Well, aren't you a gentleman."

"The Nomu cut me there deeper," She admitted as she lifted her dress, just enough to show the raised skin on her thigh. "But I think it's healing okay."

"Hmm, looks like your thigh is healing a little slower than your shoulder, but they definitely won't need bandages, and from the way you've been moving so far, it's definitely not painful enough to hinder your motor functions," She observed as she looked over the wounds. "Well, from the looks of things, another kiss from me would be overkill at this point. Some ice packs and rest will do you some good from here on out."

"Glad to hear it!" Shizuna smirked as she slid off the table. "Your turn Shouta!"

"Oh joy. . ." The man grumbled as he slowly got into position. "Look, I only got the cut underneath my eye and my elbow. How likely is a second kiss happening?"

"Luckily for you, it's a definite," She admitted as she plucked out a new roll of bandages from her coat pocket. "I already gave you a kiss back at USJ, and since you're still recovering your stamina, I won't give you the second till later, maybe early tomorrow morning at the latest."

"For now, I'm gonna disinfect the wounds and bandage them up," She concluded as she pulled open one of the table's drawers to grab a bottle of disinfectant that Aizawa knew would sting. ". . . And from the looks of it, you'll definitely have two nifty scars to add to your ever-growing collection mister."

"I figured as much," He admitted. ". . . Besides, it could have been worse. If it weren't for Shizuna, I would have been a plastered mess on the ground."

"Well, it's a good thing you had backup then," Recovery Girl admitted as she started cleaning Aizawa's wounds, smirking slightly as he grimaced at the burning sensation that she knew was stinging his puckered skin. "Knowing you, you could have easily leapt into the fray while leaving the girls to take care of the students."

"Oh, he tried to, operative word being tried," Shizuna couldn't help but let the disapproval show in her voice as she sent Aizawa a sharp look, unblinking in the face of his growing sheepishness.

"You can't be serious," Recovery Girl grumbled as she looked between the two, reserving her own disapproving gaze for the man that sat before her. "Young man, you are lucky that as an ethical medical professional, I've made an oath to do no harm to my patients or else this disinfectant would be right in your eyes by now."

"Well. . . That's harsh," Aizawa conceded, his sheepishness giving way to slight fear, though he managed to not fully show it.

"Like I said, you're lucky I'm an ethical medical professional," The old woman reiterated as she went back to her work. "I know that you're a good fighter with experience against multiple opponents, but against the number of villains you two had to face? That's pushing it, even for you!"

"Yeah, I know. I realize that now," Aizawa quietly admitted. "Seeing the enemy forces in the plaza at that moment in time. . . My one singular focus was getting the students out of there."

"And you thought that facing the villains, by yourself might I add, to buy the rest of us enough time to get out of there was the best way to do it. . ? An admirable choice, but a highly reckless and self-sacrificing one all the same," Shizuna concluded for him as the two locked eyes.

Back when she first confronted him about it at USJ, she had been very pissed at him for his thinking, willing to tear him a new one in front of their watching students to do so. Now that they were clear from any incoming danger, she looked more resigned than anything else.

"Again, I realize that now," Aizawa reiterated, his face softening. "Thankfully, I had you there to set me straight."

"Someone had to have your back down there," She said in return, her face brokering no room for argument as Aizawa's expression became sheepish once again.

As for Recovery Girl, she silently watched as the two interacted, looking more intrigued by the second.

"And I am truly grateful for it," He conceded, reaching out to take hold of her hand, not caring that they were being watched. "You saved my ass, plain and simple, and I owe you my life for that."

"All in a day's work, but still . . . When I saw that Nomu's hand going for your face, I wasn't even thinking. I just moved," She quietly admitted, looking up at his face as her dark red eyes shined a little brighter. ". . . I may have pulled an All Might, but hey, sometimes your body tends to move before your mind does."

"And sometimes your heart knows better than your brain," Recovery Girl cut in, amused by how much the two blushed at her interruption. "Oh, don't get all embarrassed you two! This just goes to show that you two really care about each other! There's nothing wrong with embracing it!"

"We're trying to," Shizuna slowly admitted. "It's just going to take some time getting used to."

"We've only just agreed to start a relationship less than an hour ago Chiyo," Aizawa quickly added, grimacing slightly when the woman tightened the knot on the wrappings around his elbow. "So yeah, this is gonna take a while."

"Does anyone else know about this . . . new development?" She asked as she got to work bandaging the cut under his eye. "Besides the obvious ones of course."

"Only Mic and Midnight . . ." Aizawa admitted, his eyes suddenly widening as a lightbulb went off in his head. ". . . And knowing them, the whole department will know before the day is out. The entire school!"

"Still wrapping your head around that thought huh?" Shizuna mused as she watched his grimacing face.

"It's not a fun thought if you ask me."

"Considering it's Mic and Midnight we're talking about here, they don't make things easy in general when it comes to potential gossip, especially when they heard it first," She countered, almost looking smug. Aizawa scowled at that, but had to grudgingly admit that she had a point. . .

. . . And damn, why did she have to look so cute while looking so smug at the same time?

"Okay, fair, you got me there," He eventually conceded, not really mad at the victorious grin that appeared on the woman's face.

"Well, Aizawa, I think you just met your match," Recovery Girl mused as she finished applying the bandage to his face. "Disagreements between you two should certainly be an interesting affair."

"They'll definitely be a challenge." He admitted as he glanced back at Shizuna. "But then again, not every relationship is a perfect one."

"Perfect's boring," The blonde stated matter-of-factly. "If everything was perfect, nothing would be interesting."

"I don't know. I think people wouldn't mind perfect health. . . Then again, if that were such a thing, I would be out of a job and my quirk would be rather redundant now, wouldn't it?" Recovery Girl mused as she rolled her chair over to her computer table. "Alright, I'm done with the two of you, but Aizawa, make sure you see me before you leave for the night, okay?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. . ."

"Was that sarcasm I detected in your tone young man?" The old woman asked, looking stern as she turned her gaze back on the Erasure Hero.

"As if I would dare to speak to you like that," Aizawa spoke up in his defense as he stood up. "Now if you excuse us, Shizuna and I have a class to check in on."

Recovery Girl could only watch in silent admonishment as Aizawa made his exit, his gait a little quicker than usual as he disappeared out the doorway. She then turned to Shizuna, who looked at her in return with obvious amusement in her eyes, completely unrepentant. "You've picked quite the man to take a liking to, young lady."

"What can I say?" She asked as she stood up. "I have a thing for tired-eyed, cat loving introverts . . . The scars and dark hair are just a bonus."

The old woman simply smirked as she watched the blonde walk off, mumbling something about the two under her breath as Shizuna stepped into the hallway.

When she stepped out of the infirmary, Shizuna was a little surprised to find Aizawa right by the entryway, his face now a little red. . . It wasn't hard to imagine why.

"You heard that last part didn't ya?" She asked, already having an inkling of what his answer would be.

"I never realized that I was such a perfect match for your type," He mumbled as he looked off to the side, only to turn back around when a sudden thought occurred to him. "Or did you just say that to stroke my ego?"

"Both, actually," She admitted, grinning with glee as disbelief crossed his face. "Is it really that hard to believe?"

"I'm just not used to this, that's all," Aizawa admitted as he looked off to the side, only to turn back around once again after Shizuna pressed her lips to his unprotected cheek. ". . . I'm not used to that either."

"You'll grow into it," She said after pulling back, her tone reassuring. "C'mon, we have a class to check in on, remember?"

"I did say that didn't I?"


F ~ x ~ R ~ x ~ D

Back in the cafeteria, Class 1-A were still talking with the officers that arrived for the follow up interviews. Since there were more students than police, it was decided that the interviews would be done in small groups, and the students obliged, splitting themselves up in the groups they found themselves in after the warp gate villain first split them up in USJ.

When Shizuna and Aizawa finally entered the cafeteria, they found some of the students sitting off to the side, having already been interviewed, while the rest were still speaking with the police. Aizawa quietly scanned the large room until he saw a familiar face in the crowd, smirking slightly when the feline's head turned in their direction.

"Officer Tamakawa!" Aizawa called out as said officer approached. "You got a minute?"

"Ah! Eraserhead, it's been a while!" The officer greeted him with a handshake before turning his eyes to the woman who stood next to him. "Madam Blade I presume?"

"That would be me," She admitted before glancing at Aizawa. "Friend from work?"

"Something like that," Aizawa sighed, daring to show a smirk, much to the officer's disbelief. "Madam Blade, this is Officer Sansa Tamakawa, one of Detective Tsukauchi's right-hand men in the police force."

"That's one way of putting it," The feline officer admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet one of the Onizaki Four in person."

"Nice to meet you too," She said in return as the two shook hands. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Likewise," Tamakawa agreed as he glanced around the room. "Anyway, most of the interviews wrapped up before you two arrived. The rest should finish in just a few minutes."

"Anything interesting come up?" Aizawa asked as he looked around, noticing that Daisuke, Tsuyu, and Midoriya were among those yet to finish.

"Yeah, there's one thing you should both know," The feline headed man admitted, his eyes narrowing on Daisuke specifically. "Your nephew over there has one keen sense of smell Madam Blade."

"I'm guessing that his nose clued you into something important." Aizawa theorized as the three now had their eyes on said teen.

"It did, and what he had to say was not good," The officer admitted as he brought a hand to his neck, as if it pained him somehow. "The villain with the decay quirk, the one covered in all those hands apparently. . . Turns out they're not props that are just for show."

"Those hands are real?" Shizuna almost hissed as Aizawa looked sickened by the admission.

"It makes sense," Aizawa mused, grimacing. "Shigaraki's plan was to kill All Might. It's not hard to believe that a man with ambitions such as his hasn't killed before."

"Fair point, but from the looks of him, Shigaraki has to be in his early twenties at best. . . Makes you wonder what drove him to this point to begin with."

"Now isn't that the million-yen question," Aizawa mumbled, not being the least bit sarcastic as he spoke.

After finishing their talk with Officer Tamakawa, the two opted to wait off to the side until all the students completed their interviews, enjoying the momentary peace they had before deciding to address the class one final time before they left for the week.

When the officers finally left, Class 1-A converged around their teachers almost immediately. Some looked tired, others appeared a bit more concerned, but most were relieved that they made it through such a hectic day.

"Judging from the looks on your faces, I can see that some of you are relieved to have survived the day. I can't blame you for feeling that way," Shizuna proceeded to say, her comment earning her some smiles from their captive audience. "But I can also see some concern, and it's not hard to guess why."

"What happened at USJ, we may have gotten out of that but . . . This isn't over, is it?" Uraraka asked, being one of the few who had looked visibly concerned from the start.

"No, no it isn't," Aizawa bluntly admitted, his words making their faces dip slightly. "All Might may have stopped the Nomu, but Shigaraki and Kurogiri are still out there. They are undoubtedly a threat, and they will be stopped."

"So, what do we do now then?" Kirishima asked.

"What you need to do is focus on your studies," Aizawa advised, keeping his glare leveled, especially on the ones that he felt could easily cause some trouble. "You all may have gotten your first real taste of what heroes deal with on a daily basis, but remember, you're still students. . . First year, barely out of your first week students. I know you want to help, but legally, the statements you've just given are as far as you go."

"Without your hero licenses, which you will be working towards further into the year, well, the provisional ones at least. . ." Shizuna added, turning towards Shouta for confirmation more than anything else, only turning back around once she got it. "You can't officially help with the investigation. Right now, it's in the police's hands."

"So, U.A will not have any more involvement with the case then?" Kaminari asked.

"Your involvement is over, but ours has just begun," Shizuna admitted as she gestured to herself and Aizawa.

"The school will be opening up its own investigation in conjunction with the police's," Aizawa clarified with the group. "We will be working together to solve this mystery and bring the perpetrators to justice."

"So, there really isn't anything else that we could possibly do then?" Ashido asked, not willing to let things go just yet.

"Legally, aside from another possible sit down with the police, no, because, again, you're not officially licensed yet!" Shizuna answered them, enunciating the last part so that they could really get the message they were trying to convey. "Right now, as hero course students, you're only allowed to use your quirks in public under the explicit permission of those that have a hero license themselves, which means us teachers, particularly your homeroom teacher right next to me."

"If you try to involve yourselves in the investigations, you will ruin your hero careers before they would even begin," She went on to further say, happy to be blunt for the sake of making sure that the students utterly understood the potential consequences of such a choice.

Judging from the looks she was getting. her message was getting through with some of them. Others appeared a bit more reserved. "If you try to do your own thing and you get caught, in the eyes of the law, you would be seen as a vigilante, or worse, a villain, and the laws here in Japan are very harsh on those that go down this route. Amongst the harshest in the world in fact."

"Simply put, don't try to do more than what you are already lawfully capable of," Aizawa spoke up, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I do not want to get a call from the police telling me that one of my students is in a holding cell because they decided to play vigilante for the day. . . I'm sure your parents wouldn't appreciate such a phone call either."

"Would that also be grounds for expulsion from the Hero Course?"

"Very much so. . ." Shouta admitted, glancing at Shizuna before turning back to his students, who now looked a lot more fearful than before. "Good, it seems you all finally got the message."

"Seems that way. . ." The Katana Wielder agreed as her face softened. "Look, we get that you all want to help, and we appreciate it, but right now, the best thing that you could do is go home, rest up, talk to someone if you need to - without mentioning the details of the case of course - and come back next week ready to tackle your studies . . . After all, you can't earn your licenses without putting in the work, right?"

"RIGHT, SENSEI!" Some in the class chorused, while others either nodded or shrugged.

"And to those of you who were in the plaza during the later stages of the villains' infiltration, and you know who you are," Aizawa added, resisting the urge to look at the ones he was referring to directly. "I'll be talking to you on Monday personally. . . Alright, have a good weekend everyone."

"Hmm, way to make your last words intimidating ones Shouta," Shizuna mumbled once the class was safely out of the room, and hopefully out of hearing range.

"They were only toward a few of the students, but if the whole class felt a spark of fear, then so be it," He said in his defense as he leaned against a table. "And do you really think I was going to let those kids off the hook after engaging those villains in the plaza?"

"You wouldn't be you if you let such a thing slide," She admitted as she sat down next to him. ". . . Then again, the students did hold out well enough to give All Might enough time to deal with the Nomu, without getting seriously injured in fact."

"Playing devil's advocate I see," Aizawa mumbled as she leaned herself against his side, his body noticeably slouching into the contact.

"One of us has to," She said in return. "Look, yes, the kids should have been focused on evacuating rather than jumping into the fray. Many, including myself, agree with you on that point. . ."

"I hear a but coming along."

"But," She childishly emphasized, just to rub it in. "If it wasn't for their assistance, All Might could have been worse off than he actually was."

"He. . . He could have," Aizawa reluctantly conceded as he thought it over. "Still, the students. . . They're barely out of their first week of high school! It was risky! They could have gotten hurt!"

"Getting hurt is an inevitable part of this life we chose to live, Shouta. You can't keep the students away from this forever, but we can better prepare them for it," She was quick to remind him. "That's what we're here for. Teaching and guiding the students to be heroes' society can truly rely on. . . It can be a hassle, but man does it have its moments that make it all worth it."

"I guess," Shouta mumbled, only to receive an elbow to the gut for his troubles. "Hey! That hurt!"

"Oh, don't be like that!" She chided him. "You've been a teacher long enough. I'm sure there've been some highlights during your time as an educator."

Her words only managed an indifferent expression from the Erasure Hero, but as the minutes passed, he found himself thinking back on the past classes he had the privilege to teach.

Of course, the bad memories were large in number - the students who couldn't make it, the ones that were in it for the wrong reasons, the sickening feeling of watching certain students' progress get wasted in the end - but then, the memories started to shift.

He started remembering the good ones, the ones where the students actually heeded his advice and graduated with minds truly suited for heroism. There were a few heroes out there that he taught that were pretty successful right now, and though he didn't stay connected with any of them, he was just glad that they were doing okay.

"Judging from that change in expression, it looks like I'm right," Shizuna teased, keeping her tone light as she watched the contentment cross his face.

"Well, you do make a fair point. I guess I forgot about the impact I can make on these students for a minute there. . . Thanks for the reminder."

"It's no problem . . . So, should we head for the conference room then?" Shizuna suggested as she found her gaze moving toward one of the clocks in the room. "It shouldn't be long before Nedzu calls the meeting into session."

"Nah, let's enjoy the peace for now," Shouta mumbled, sounding as tired as he felt. "Besides, they'll call us when they need us."

"You're only saying that to avoid the gossip Nemu likely already spread amongst the others, aren't ya?"

"Am I really that obvious?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Touché"


A/N: Okay, a few things. . .

- Yes, The Cubicle is a stand in for The Office.

- Again, since I had Shizuna save Aizawa in USJ, we will not be getting Mummyzawa in this fic, but he will keep the scars.

- Mic and Midnight will always look out for their friends, but that's not going to stop them from teasing them either.

- I so love writing AizawaxShizuna fluff, and you all got quite the dose of it here. From them interacting with their friends and Recovery Girl, from them interacting with each other, to them getting all teacher (and somewhat parental) with Class 1A. This was very much their chapter, and I can't wait to write more of them.

Next chapter is probably the last segment of our "After the Raid" mini arc, so stay tuned for that.

This is SandsnakeQueen signing out!