Paths Of A Hero
Summary: Hero or Vigilante? What is the difference? It used to be black and white, a boundary so sharp cut that many have found themselves in pieces just for approaching it. So why is it blurring now, as Eraserhead tries to keep his head low while unwittingly gaining 20+ kids, at least three Pro Hero friends and seems to have caught the eye of All Might himself, all the while his past is persistently trying to catch up to him?
A/N: And now we're going back to the main program!
Please note that this part of the story happens before the Training Camp but after the Saving The World With Love, My Hero Academy: Two Heroes and follows Yagi's return and the meeting about Eraserhead's raid on Shie Hassaikai, which means Aizawa is caring for Eri now. Let's say that it's been about two weeks since the raid and there's still a week to go before the Summer Training Camp starts.
Also note that there's a bit of a difference in Eri's behavior. From what I understand of canon, Chisaki started experimenting on Eri's Quirk about the time All For One's been imprisoned as he wanted the Shie Hassaikai to take over the vacuum in power he'd left behind as a person who can take and give away Quirks and he planned to artificially do something similar with the bullets he and Chronostasis were creating. That's when he'd crippled his adoptive father and took over. Because Aizawa got wind of his plans way sooner than canon, Eri isn't nearly as traumatized. The kid still has a lot of issues caused by her experiences at Chisaki's hands, but they'd not even had a full month of experimenting on her when Eraserhead busted their HQ and rescued her, so she's considerably more trusting of adults, though that might be just Aizawa for a long while as he rescuer.
Don't worry, though. She'll definitely still have her love for Lemillion and Deku. The relationships she has with them are too cute to ignore!
Anyways, thanks for sticking throughout this far and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!
Onto the chapter!
All Might couldn't help but sigh tiredly as he walked slowly back towards his agency. He was exhausted. The search for Eraserhead has become even more of a priority, as of late, and that's not even mentioning the long discussions he had to endure with Tsukauchi about the only known wielder of a Quirk-canceling Quirk, Aizawa Shouta, and his continued questionable status.
As tempted as they might be to write off Chronostasis or Overhaul's words - testimonies, as the Police Commissioner was becoming desperate enough to dub them in order to have some concrete information about the Vigilante - as just the ramblings of two clearly not entirely stable individuals - Overhaul especially seemed kind of unhinged, especially when he started talking about his plans and goals - it was becoming more and more clear that there was no denying it. Eraserhead had a unique Quirk and while it might not be Aizawa-kun's Erasure, the Hero Commission finally had a solid charge against him to warrant his arrest, which was already bad enough. Eraser might actually finally be forced to leave the scene once and for all if he doesn't want to end up behind bars.
And then, the Vigilante himself being set aside, was the question of the missing girl, Eri. They found out that she does, in fact, exist - the granddaughter of the previous boss of the yakuza, Chisaki's adoptive father, who is now in a critical coma for unknown reasons, caused by Overhaul himself - though her medical condition is more than questionable with the amount of blood they'd found in the lab in the hideout of the Shie Hassaikai. And that's just of what had survived a fire set to the lab, whether by Eraserhead or by the lab-users themselves remains to be determined. None of the research was left behind except what the end goal was. The blood samples they'd found correspond with the traces of blood they'd found in that 'Deleter Shot' or whatever it is called bullet, which sent a shiver of ice cold dread down all of their spines.
No wonder Eraserhead hadn't stuck to his usual MO. Whether he'd known it was a child or just human experimentation in general, it made sense he'd forgo everything and not risk people being used as lab rats for one moment longer or, worse yet, those monsters escaping so they can continue their research.
Toshinri also suspects Eraserhead to be feeling guilty. After all, his style - his Quirk, as they've all discovered only now - was what had inspired these people to pursue something like this. He was, of course, not guilty for the actions of others, but the way he'd handled the whole raid spoke volumes to someone who'd gone through a similar guilt and still couldn't 'get over it already'. (USJ could have had casualties had it not been for Eraserhead and it was all All Might's fault. Yagi knew this. No one could convince him otherwise, as those villains had been there for him in the first place. And that's only the most recent source of guilt for him to stew over.)
Naomasa had managed to get Overhaul to brag about his brilliant plan and they learned about his Quirk, about his most recent operations and about Eri-chan's Quirk. It was very powerful and very dangerous for a child to possess, especially if she has no control. It opened more options as to why Eraserhead would have just picked her up and never left her in someone else's care. Erasure, even if temporary, would stop her from using her Quirk long enough to calm down and after talking to the man those few times that he did and seeing him with that one boy and hearing about him from the students, Toshinori knew the Vigilante to be more than capable to calm a distressed child. Quirk-safety/threat-wise, Eri-chan was in very capable and safe hands. Naomasa and he could agree on that and back each other up if anyone tried to add kidnapping to Eraser's 'list of crimes'.
The other reason Eraser might have taken her was because there's no way the government wouldn't want a power like Rewind for their own purposes. Who is to say that they wouldn't just hire Chronostasys to finish what he'd begun? Yagi has never been disillusioned to the fact that the Hero Commission was not perfect, that it was still politicians who controlled the Heroes. And politicians always work for their own benefit, even those with the most virtuous intentions. And it was clear that Aizawa-kun himself has something against them, with the way he rebuffs Hawks anytime the two meet when not even Endeavor gets such treatment and by this point everyone knows Eraserhead does not like Endeavor.
As always, learning something about Eraserhead only leaves even more questions in its wake, especially after Sir Nighteye managed to convince everyone that they should at least try to talk Hal into helping them to lessen his own sentence.
The man had agreed to talk with them, had even said he was bored enough to indulge them, and so was brought the tampered footage all the way to Tartarus with seven other computer experts overwatching him in case he tried anything. Meeting Aizawa Ashou was not at all like what he'd thought it to be, though that might be because Yagi had expected at least some resemblance between him and the man Toshinori had treated cats with, whom he was sure was indeed Aizawa Shouta.
Aizawa-san, for one, had short, bright blue hair with streaks of red and green, two thick yellow lightning-rod-like bangs framing his electric blue eyes that seem to be swimming with green glowing numbers, probably a result of his Quirk. His skin was slightly tanned even after years in Tartarus and the prison wasn't exactly famous for its sunny weather or all that long or frequent courtyard time. He had a eight o'clock shadow of a stubble and no eyebrows to speak of, for some reason. The look on his face made him resemble more a college IT professor or something and not a notorious criminal capable of hacking into any and every computer or system on the planet. His face nor head shape didn't resemble Aizawa-kun's, either.
The air of easy confidence, though, was rather similar to both the man he'd pampered cats with and the Vigilante whom he deeply respected by this point.
Aizawa-san was acting surprisingly cooperative throughout the little briefing they gave him of the situation, keeping most of the details to themselves, talking about a Vigilante tampering with crucial evidence or something like that. In fact, he seemed disinterested for the most part, just making grabby motions at the laptop they'd brought him. Yagi reasoned it must be hard for someone with a Quirk like his to be isolated from technology for as long as he had, but it was a fact of security that he wasn't to be allowed near anything with even the basest amount of coding or working on electricity. The man was kept inside an old fashioned cell the likes of which hadn't been seen since the 2050s, which was like a forever ago, even for Yagi.
Yagi and Tsukauchi had watched, beside Sir Nighteye and two other detectives - one of whom was Detective Tsurugamae - and the computer experts as Hal had opened the security camera footage and what appeared to be the coding of the program that's blocking the image of whoever it is that's fighting the Shie Hassaikai foot soldiers and then Chisaki and his inner circle. The review of the coding didn't last even five seconds before Hal snorted, slammed the laptop shut and gave them all a look.
"If you think I'm about to dismantle coding as beautiful as this and expose a fellow hacker with such talent, then you're clearly delusional. I'll take my life-sentence, thank you very much."
Of course, to Tsukauchi and All Might this might as well be confirmation that Eraserhead - Aizawa Shouta - was, indeed, beyond every doubt related to Aizawa Ashou. The man looks old enough to be the father of what is now probably a thirty year old man and what the others were foolishly writing off as 'even the legendary Hal having lost his touch' was clearly nothing less than fatherly protectiveness.
So, of course, Yagi and Naomasa pulled some strings that allowed them to question Hal privately. Yagi then, somehow, after much arguing, managed to kick the policeman out of the room as well, shut off all recording devices and isolate the room so that their conversation can't get out of that room in any way. Sitting across from the man, bound as he was and a full All Might hour under his belt, Yagi still felt a bit nervous when those strange eyes locked onto him curiously.
"Aizawa-san," he started, trying to keep his voice even and not reveal anything. "I know you know who tempered with that footage. You could probably see it thanks to your Quirk even without removing the program that's altering it." Hal just quirked a not-eyebrow at him. "Did he always like cats?" He dared to ask and watched as shock gave way to protective rage turned into realization and then shifted to something that looked like cautious approval. Clearly, he had come to the conclusion that Toshinori had met Aizawa-kun - who is now officially confirmed as Eraserhead, hallelujah! - had figured out his identity one way or another and had still chosen to not turn him in.
"Logically," snorted the blue-haired man, grinning. All Might had to grin at both the word and the grin. Oh, he could see the resemblance now. "Cats are the superior pet preference. Dogs slobber all over the place and are loud. Not good company for insomniacs with overworked eyes. They're also so needy. Nothing against dogs, I mean, but they're just inconvenient to me. I mean," he gestured at himself. "I am very well known in the circles I used to work in, so every time I would step out of the house, I'd get accosted by someone. That's actually how I met my Sho-chan."
He felt his brain short circuit. "Met?"
The man had just grinned at him. "I am not Sho-chan's biological parent. Quite frankly, the people who are were undeserving of him and I am glad that he ended up with me, even if it's only for two years-"
"Did you kidnap him?!" An alarmed Yagi had demanded despite himself and Aizawa-san had surprised him by not being offended, but rather amused.
"No. Kid was on the streets for months before I met him. Saved me from some goons. Always did want to be a Hero, that one. Well, as long as I've known him. Sho-chan's story is a very long and complicated one, Yagi-san. All I can tell you is that, if you come after him as a Hero Commission representative, say bye bye, because he'll disappear. For good, this time, as apparently he's done something to earn their attention for the third time in his life."
"Third time?"
Hal had cocked his head to the side, as if in consideration on how much he should reveal before deciding he'd already said more than enough and shaking his head. "How did he look? Was he healthy? Happy? Does he have a partner? Kids? I hope he has kids! I wanna be a grandpa."
Yagi had thought about telling him about Eri but had decided not to tempt Hal into finding a way to hack his way out of Tartarus. Besides, he'd still had tons of paperwork and two more meetings to go to before he could head home. So here he was now, utterly exhausted and envying Mister Blaster and Vlad King for having the past half a month to worry about nothing but the Summer Training Camp. Not that that was a small thing, but they didn't need to worry about Eraserhead and his latest rather bold move. They have somehow managed to keep it under wraps that the Vigilante was the one to raid the yakuza hideout and instead put it off as a police and Hero combined effort, but it's also only a matter of time before someone slips and reveals the truth.
The Commission is aiming to arrest Eraser before that happens, but now that Toshinori knows this much about Eraser, there's no way the man would let himself get caught, not in a million years. Not when he now has a little girl to think of.
What had the Commission wanted from Aizawa-kun that their involvement in his search and rescue was enough to make him give up his dream of being a Hero? Was it as he'd suspected for Eri? Erasure was one hell of a Quirk, even if the registered limitations make it considerably weaker. But then Yagi would think back to the Sports Festival and the half an hour of no free Quirk usage after Eraser's escape and he would wonder if Aizawa-kun had created a fake Quirk registry, too, just like his identity. At least it now made sense that Aizawa-san and Aizawa-kun don't resemble each other except in mannerisms. Mannerisms can be learned and two years of exposure to them is a long time for a child.
"Like this, Eri-chan."
That voice and that name had Toshinori snapping out of his thoughts and freezing in the spot in front of an alley he'd been passing, his head whirling around to look at its mouth immediately. There was a lot of meowing and purring coming from there and the blond Hero could not believe his luck! He inched his way towards the alley on silent feet, not wanting to be sighted before he was ready, peaking around the corner of the wall he was pressed against to see into the alley. Not as narrow as the first one where he'd been treated to a sight like this, but the scene was familiar nonetheless.
He felt his heart squeeze almost painfully at the adorable sight before him.
There he was, the very man who'd been occupying his thoughts for far too long now, even without counting the police shitstorm after the Shie Hassaikai raid and arrest, with a girl he hadn't stopped worrying for over the past two weeks. The dark haired man was showing the girl how to wipe down the kittens and huge, round red eyes were staring at the tiny creatures with all the awe a five and a half year old can manage, her long pale blue-gray hair done in an intricate braid and decorated with cute cat clips. Aizawa-kun himself had his hair in a half-updo that made Yagi's heart squeeze for a completely different reason (-he looks like Nana-) and was dressed in a white dress shirt with sleeves rolled up and no tie in sight, lower half clad in the same jeans as last time. He was smiling even as he treated one poor cat's mangled leg. There were cats all around and over them and while the little girl occasionally twitched or flinched from loud noises or unexpected contact, she looked to be having fun.
But in her short-sleeved dress, her bandaged arms were starkly obvious and Yagi felt the urge to go back to Chisaki's containment cell to beat him into a pulp because that monster had hurt this precious child and no wonder Eraser had acted the way he did. No wonder he hid her. She didn't need more bullshit piled on top of her and she was clearly having a good time here with Aizawa-kun! Eraser was truly incredible with kids if the way the girl gazed at him with that blinding smile as though he had hung the very moon and stars and sun on the heavens.
He must have the worst luck in the world because his phone chose that very moment to blare "A message is here! A message is here!" He cursed himself when Eri-chan seemed to flinch and curl in on herself while making a move closer to the adult while said man jumped to his feet in a battle-readiness no ordinary civilian could possibly have. Toshinori took note of the way Aizawa-kun's hand flew towards his throat area and that was practically the last confirmation he could get besides maybe seeing the man using his Quirk in person or having the man himself outright say it.
"Ah, I apologize! I thought I heard a familiar voice, is all!" He said apologetically, stepping fully in view with hands up in a surrendering/placating motion and that seems enough for the younger man. The little lady, though, was now clutching onto Aizawa-kun's clothing so hard her little knuckles were so white that Toshinori felt even more guilty. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's fine," sighed the other as he ran a hand through his hair before noticing the state of his charge. Without hesitation, he dropped into a crouch before her even if she protested having to release his clothing from her tight grip. When they were at eye level, he gave her a reassuring smile and patted her head. "It's okay, Eri-chan. It's just a noisy friend of mine. He won't hurt you. Besides, I'm here with you, right?" She hesitated for only a second before nodding. Aizawa-kun smiled again and opened his arms. "Want a hug, just in case?"
The girl was in his arms before Yagi could blink and it was adorable. He almost took a picture with his phone but that would not only be disrespectful and dangerous - what if someone saw and connected the dots!? He didn't want to get Aizawa-kun arrested! - but illegal, too, as he did not have Eri's guardian's permission. (He doesn't care about how legal it was that Aizawa might introduce himself as Eri's guardian. He approved and if the younger man were ever to need assistance, he'd help him get legal full custody of the girl.)
"Sorry," he said again and the man waved him off.
"She's just really shy," the man replied and Yagi knew it wasn't the whole truth, but that's insider knowledge so he just nodded. "You want to join us?"
"Oh, I couldn't! I don't want to intrude!"
Aizawa-kun shot him such a deadpan look before rolling his eyes for extra measure while gracefully, effortlessly standing to his feet, Eri and all. "As if I'd ask you if I thought you shouldn't be here," the younger man threw over his shoulder as he made his way back to his seat. Eri-chan seemed to grip his shirt harder and Aizawa-kun sighed gently before picking up one of the kittens playing at his feet and placed it in Eri's lap where she was sitting on his. "Could you do the same thing as last time?"
"Ah, yes, of course!" He was quick to comply, being sure not to let his footsteps thunder or, heavens forbid, land on the lounging and playing cats all carefully waiting for their turn to get pampered. There seemed to be rare few injured, which was good.
He saw from the corner of his eye that Aizawa-kun had twisted himself in such a way so that he could still work on the cat that had started licking at its wounds. Aizawa-kun shot him a look when he sat down and Yagi nearly fell over when the man smiled. Though he figured out it was because a cat had managed to make a bed out of the extra clothing hanging off of his lanky frame. He doesn't mind, if it makes the shorter man smile like that.
"Is that the worse one?" He asked, gesturing to the now complaining cat as Aizawa-kun tried to set its apparently broken leg right before he can secure it with bandages.
"Yeah. I'll have to take him to a vet's. He needs proper care and a place to stay while he heals."
"But can't we take him?" Eri-chan surprises them both, apparently, by speaking up, looking hopefully up at the man holding her. She'd started petting the kitten in her lap at some point and it seems both kitten and child were content.
"Oh, sweetie, I wish we could, but the building doesn't allow for pets." Both of them looked heartbroken at this and Yagi spoke before he even registered just how much of a bad idea it could be.
"I could take him in." Black and red eyes locked onto him at that, both surprised and the little girl looked to be in awe. Yagi felt a familiar grin spread over his face, always taking great joy in making children happy. "It would be no problem, I assure you!" He said before the man could ask him if he was sure. "And you can come check on him or just play with him whenever you want!"
"All Might-san, taking care of a pet, even one as independent of a cat, is no small decision to make," the younger half warned, half admonished. "You can't do this on a whim. Are you absolutely sure you have the time to take care of him?"
"Of course!" He booms and this time, Eri-chan doesn't flinch away from the noise but rather claps her hands in glee. Aizawa-kun can't seem to fight them both on this point and just decides to trust Toshinori. Who is, by the way, terrified at the prospect of having to take care of an innocent life that is going to rely on him for a good number of things, especially in the beginning as it heals, but the cat seems to be in good health if one ignores the injured leg. Probably a result of Aizawa-kun's no doubt long-term care. "Leave it to me!"
"I guess I'll have to do just that." Then the man went on and rattled off such a specific health plan that left the blond wondering just why the hell this man hadn't pursued a career as a vet. "I can make you a proper list if you didn't catch all of that."
"That would be great," he said in relief and Aizawa-kun nodded, finishing up with the cat and twisting around a bit more to reach a messenger bag. Eri-chan seems to have recovered from the fright and jumped off of his lap so she could go back to what she had been doing before, though she cast shy glances at Yagi every now and then. The alley soon fell into a content silence with only the sounds of the street, the cats and Aizawa-kun's scratching pen as background noise. It was as relaxing as the last time, just pampering cats, watching what Eri-chan did so he knew how to treat his own soon-to-be-pet in the future and then Aizawa-kun when he picked up one of the six really small kittens from a cat bed hidden behind his seat. Leaning over and straining his neck to see around the Vigilante-in-street-clothes, he spotted a big cat bed with a mother cat with swollen nubs and six kittens trying to get more milk but the cat was obviously exhausted. Looking back at Aizawa-kun, he nearly melted from the cuteness that was watching the man bottle-feed the kitten in his hands.
How could he have worried for the little girl leaning against Aizawa's leg now so contently, when there were no better hands for her to be in? Eraserhead - Aizawa-kun - was nothing but kind.
"Here," Aizawa-kun said and Yagi looked down as a piece of paper was thrust at him. The instructions and list the younger man had mentioned earlier. The taller of the two took it gratefully and even did a little bow in his seated position. Inspecting the things written on the paper, he soon reached the bottom and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a name, an address and a phone number written down. He looked back up at the man without bothering to read through the recommended vets list also jotted down there, meeting the others slightly nervous(?) gaze immediately. "I thought it would be best if we had a way to stay in contact. In case you need help. Or find you can't always take care of him. The address is to a cat cafe in Naruhata that a couple of my friends run. You can leave him there if you're ever too busy to come home for a couple of days and don't have anyone to cat-sit."
Naruhata.
"And the vets I recommended also have an adoption system going so if you can't take care of him at all or something comes up. Their prices are rather affordable and if you tell them I sent you, you'll get a discount-"
"Thank you, Aizawa-kun," he interrupted, trying out the name for the first time out loud in this man's presence. "I'll be sure to take good care of him. I won't let you down!"
Eri-chan giggled at his enthusiasm and his heart melted all over again for this sweet little girl. He'll need to look more into what may have happened to her, because the bandages on her arms were thick, indicating many, many cuts, no doubt. The girl will probably be unfortunate enough to carry marks only suicidal or self-harming people do and he hopes to all the gods that may or may not exist that society won't judge her by them.
"We trust you, All Might-san. Right, Eri-chan!"
"Y-yes!"
Aw, shit. There goes his heart. Probably left forever at the feet of this new little family. He doesn't even regret it. Eri-chan's smiles were tentative and looked ... out of practice, like she hadn't known how to until recently and isn't that just heartbreaking? And Aizawa-kun looked like he was only now learning to relax for the first time in his life, which was even sadder. He remembered Hal's words and wondered what the man had all been through before and after he'd been kidnapped from UA. What kind of life had he lived that he could only now relax?
And did this mean ... the end of Eraserhead?
Yagi sure hoped not, as Eraserhead was a greater Hero to many than some of the top ranking Pros.
And then there was Class 1-A!
But, then again, didn't they already know his identity outside of the capture weapon, black clothing and yellow goggles? He'd probably already given them his home address or will do it soon if he hadn't. For them, he didn't need to stay Eraserhead. He was simply their Sensei. Yagi, though, couldn't help but wonder would Yamada-kun receive the same honor? Kayama-san? They were the closest to the Vigilante, friends of fifteen years. If Eraser were to suddenly disappear, they'd no doubt be devastated. But would they like Aizawa Shouta, adopted son of the infamous hacker Hal, who is still a mystery to Toshinori who now, despite everything, was probably one of the very few people who knows even this much about him? After all, a part of Eraserhead is his anonymity. Would knowing his name change their view of him?
Then again, Yamada-kun had been so adamant to find out if Aizawa Shouta was still alive, so guilty and regretful at a chance lost-
"A-are you okay?" The tentative question in a timid little girl voice drew Toshinori's attention down to a worried and nervous Eri, who looked about ready to explode from nerves for even asking. Aizawa-kun was looking at him, too, from the corner of his eye, but he said nothing, obviously more than content to let Eri learn to interact with other people. He'd definitely make a great teacher, as he always seemed to know what a child needs. Midoriya-shounen's story was a great example!
(It didn't occur to him then, or for a while later, that this man had told him a partial lie about himself, his Quirk, not until he got to see him in action in his full glory against the man who'd managed to ruin his life twice and almost a third and fourth time, too.)
"Y-you s-seem s-s-sad." It was obviously taking a lot of courage for her to even say those two sentences, those six words, and the urge to hurt Chisaki returned all over again with a raging vengeance. A quick glance at Aizawa-kun's face showed that the black haired male was having much the same moral struggle of whether that level of violence would be acceptable or not for what was done to this girl. And he actually probably knew what was really done to her! Yagi was only guessed and was already ready to start gushing blood lust. He couldn't imagine just how much self control it took to refrain from hunting that monster down and killing him on the spot.
Aizawa-kun clearly had more control than Toshinori had ever had. It's the reason he today has a hole in his side. He had not been able to quell or at least moderate his need for revenge and that rage had ravaged him of everything he'd aimed to be as All Might. He'd been ready to kill All For One without an ounce or remorse and it didn't matter that he was the worst evil since the dawn of Quirks. Yagi shouldn't have fallen down to his level.
But that was not an issue for now. Right now, he had a timid, traumatized little girl looking on the verge of tears for daring to ask for his well-being. So he put on a smile - and it was easy to do so, for this little girl and her grumpy-looking caretaker; so, so easy that he was almost scared of it but longer for their presence nonetheless - and did one of the less bombastic All Might poses, a hand on his own bicep as he clenched a fist. "No need to worry, Eri-chan! I promise I will be alright. Why?" He put his hands down and smiled a far more gentle smile, gazing at the little family-in-the-making. "Because people as nice as you are here. Kindness is what makes us all Heroes, Eri-chan. Never forget that. Sometimes just asking someone about their day is enough to make you their Hero, even if only for a little while. But I don't doubt that a nice little girl like you has trouble with that."
He grinned as those pale, chubby cheeks flushed and the girl turned around to bury her face in her caretaker's clothes, hiding. It was cute.
Said caretaker was mouthing 'Thank you' while he gave the child an encouraging and/or comforting pat on the head and Yagi found himself grinning again, which had the man looking away with something like a blush to his own cheeks. Too precious, the both of them.
Eri recovered soon enough and they all went back to their respective cat-pampering tasks for another half an hour. By the time they were finished, the youngest of the three was both tired and famished and so Aizawa-kun packed up with Yagi's help and hoisted the girl up into his arms. Yagi, in turn, bent over and picked up his new pet, which made Eri-chan look up at him in awe again as though he'd just caught a building for her. It kind of reminded him of the admiration Midoriya-shounen showed for the slightest thing he did, especially in this form. And while Yagi personally preferred All Might, it seems Yagi Toshinori had two of his own fans. Aizawa-kun might just be the third, because he was definitely more relaxed around Toshinori than he was around All Might. He'll have to try it out with the man, but not as Eraserhead.
"Make sure to visit this little fella," he found himself saying with a grin as they moved towards the mouth of the alley, about to return to the real world and leave their catty safe haven behind. "I'm sure he'll miss you."
"Um!" Eri nodded before a yawn caught her by surprise. Cute.
"You have my number," was all Aizawa-kun said, though he, too, had a small smile on his lips. It made him look younger than he was. "Send us the address and we'll stop by, one of these days."
"Will do!"
"And make sure to take care of him, okay?"
"Of course, Aizawa-kun!"
That seemed to please the other and he nodded. They finally exited the alley and were back on the busy streets, people walking around them or shooting them curious glances. They must make a sight, the cutest little girl in the world, her gruff but handsome parental figure and a lanky, incredibly tall man in oversized clothes that didn't seem to fit in with them at all but they were a group somehow still.
"I guess we'll be seeing you later, then, All Might-san," Aizawa-kun said quietly and took a step in the opposite direction of Might Tower to signal his intention to leave and the blond couldn't help himself. He smiled and winked at the secret Vigilante.
"Please, call me Yagi."
The resulting blush?
So worth it.