To Love a Soul

by Silent Azure

Eve never wanted to be a hero. That was her friend's dream, not her's. She was content to stay out of sight and out of mind until one night changed all that. She'll have to adapt to survive if she wants to save herself and get her friend back. But what happens to a person who doesn't want to be seen when she's forced into the world of heroes and the watchful eyes of Eraserhead?

20. Chapter 20 - Day 3: Security Breach

Chapter 20 - Day 3: Security Breach

My nose tickled.

Yet, I was so comfortable in my dazed sleep that I decided to just simply ignore it. The sensation disappeared only to reappear a moment later, trailing across my cheeks and exposed neck lightly, but it was enough that it was starting to become an annoyance.

Not bothering to open my eyes and risk rising to consciousness, I swatted weakly at the feeling and flipped over, getting comfortable again on the cushions. I let my arms hang out over the sides of the couch, allowing the cool air to wash over them while the rest of my body was cozily nestled against the soft seating. The irritation evidently did not get the memo as it was back with a vendetta against me. It crept down my arms, tickling the skin until it reached my wrists.

I had enough. Anything that disturbed my sleep deserved my divine wrath. My hands seized the source of my irritation when it fluttered across my palms, and I captured the horrid object that dared to wake me. Groggily, I propped myself up and before I could crack open my eyes to see what it was I had ensnared, the thing was yanked upwards out of my grasp and I was forced to tumble ungracefully onto the floor.

"Ow." I groaned out hoarsely, pushing myself up onto my arms as I looked about, confused as to how I came to be on the ground.

I turned my head back to the couch and up to the dark figure who was leaning over it. Eraserhead was staring down at me with faint amusement in his eyes, coffee in one hand and in the other was the end of one of his bindings as he twisted it between his fingers. My eyes locked onto that piece of cloth as it rejoined with its companions around his neck, and my brain put two and two together.

"Good morning." Aizawa greeted me, bringing the coffee cup to his lips.

"No. It's clearly not." I grumbled darkly, glaring at the demon who had disturbed me. "I'm going back to sleep." I crawled back onto the couch, resuming my curled up position there. I was not a morning person by any definition, and having to abide by this ridiculous school schedule was messing with my sleeping patterns. Staying up late the night before didn't help matters either. Sleep was calling me back into its arms, and I was going to heed that call so help me.

Aizawa's voice spoke above me and I could smell the coffee emanating from his cup as it wafted down. "Hmm. Living dangerously this morning already, are we? I thought we wouldn't be getting to that till next week."

I snuggled deeper into the couch, closing my eyes. "I was up late last night watching all of the students' mock battles, I'll have you know. I think I've earned myself a pass for today."

"Yes, I read through your notes this morning."

"Great. Now I'm going back to sleep."

"No you're not." He stated firmly. "If I let you sleep anymore, you'll be late. And I don't need to remind you of what that means."

My eyes snapped open as I remembered his promise to me if I ever slept in. Tea or sleep? Sleep or tea? Which of my two great loves did I want to choose, and which would I be forsaking today? I didn't really have a choice, did I?

"Fine. I'm up." I pushed myself up into a seated position, rubbing the sleep from my face and running a hand through my unkempt hair as it swept over my shoulders. "What time is it anyways?" I yawned out.

"7:45."

That wasn't too bad. Still an ungodly time to be awake, but class didn't start till 8:30. If I wanted to get my fix that morning and eat breakfast I would have to be in the teachers' lounge by at least 8:15 before Aizawa could drag me to face the energies of the teens. 8:15 and it was currently 7:45, which meant that I only had thirty minutes to get a shower, change, and get myself over to the school. I reckoned it took me around ten minutes yesterday to run through the woods to reach the building when Aizawa had forced me to chase after him, and I did not want a repeat of that today if I could help it.

I had less time than I initially thought.

"Shit."

I bolted from the couch, tearing myself up the stairs, and locking myself into the bathroom before turning on the shower. I didn't wait for it to warm up as I entered it, biting through the bitter cold as I scrubbed and washed like a mad woman. There was no time to relax under the falling water when it finally came up to temperature. I had done all I needed to do, and so I reluctantly turned off the tap, reaching for my towel as I stepped out and dried off. I reached for the door handle with the towel wrapped around me and froze. I had made the same mistake again. I had forgotten to bring my change of clothes with me into the bathroom. Great. I didn't have time for this.

Clinging onto my towel tightly, I opened the door and darted over to my room, still slightly dripping wet with my long hair clinging to my exposed back and shoulders. I cast a side glance at the front door when I sensed eyes watching me, and I saw Aizawa standing there. His eyes were locked on and unblinking, standing in a stiffened silence as he took in my state of undress at the top of the stairs. I felt a heat rise to my face and I jumped into my room, flinging the door shut behind me hard enough to make the walls shake. Midnight's boxes and shopping bags were still scattered about my room and I had not gone through them yet to see what exactly she brought me. It was going to be one of those kinds of mornings as I picked whatever caught my eye first - and that was whatever was dark and not skin tight. I would need to get all of this organized when I came back tonight.

Depositing my dirty clothes into a pile on the floor, I kicked them over to the corner to collect later for washing. Retrieving the bag that Midnight had left behind with the hair accessories inside, I grabbed the brush to run it through my wet hair as best as I could. There was no time to properly dry it as I exited out of my room, trampling back down the stairs while I gathered my hair into my hands as I went. Pausing before Aizawa, I took the hair tie from between my teeth as I secured my wet hair up in a messy bun to keep the back of my shirt from getting damp. Aizawa didn't say anything to me as I came to a stop before him, and I made a glance up at him, sensing that something was off. He was being oddly motionless and quiet - well, quieter than usual for him. Studying his face, I noticed that his gaze was transfixed on my hair as I finished tying it up, watching me from behind hazed eyes as if he was recalling something else.

"Aizawa?" I called out to him, frowning.

My voice snapped him out of whatever it was as he blinked and refocused his attention back onto me.

"Are you ready?" He asked, his voice strangely distant.

"Yeah. Thanks for waiting." I nodded, though I continued to stare curiously up at him. "You okay? What was that look just now?"

He turned quickly and opened the front door. "You're imagining things."

If he didn't want to answer the question, then that was fine with me. Time was wasting and I didn't have time to argue with him if I wanted to get something to eat and have my tea too. I had just taken a very brisk cold shower that morning to that very end. That alone should show how seriously I took my tea commitments. So if Aizawa didn't want to tell me what was up, that was fine with me. Let him have his secrets. I certainly had mine.

I passed him by, letting him lock the door behind me as I made a turn to head down the path that led back to the school. I had only gotten about ten feet when I noticed that there were no footsteps following me. Twisting back behind me, I saw Aizawa standing by a pedestrian crosswalk signal, causally watching me with his hands in his pockets. Now, I found this a little bizarre. Not, Aizawa - no - but the crosswalk light. While the teachers' individual houses were arranged to look like a quiet suburban neighborhood, there certainly wasn't enough traffic, or cars for that matter, to warrant a crosswalk complete with a pedestrian signal. The thing stuck out once you were reminded just exactly where you were - and that was at a high school, not a city. But I had to remember that this whole place was unusual from the teachers who taught here, right down to the mini cities they had on the school grounds. So finding something as insignificant as a crosswalk light here was just the latest in a long line oddities that just simply existed in this place.

I called out to Aizawa, wondering why he was just standing around and wasting time.

"Are you coming or not?" I nodded my head towards the forest path, confusion plain on my face.

Aizawa didn't respond as he turned away and withdrew a hand to press the crosswalk button. The ground gave a shudder as a massive transparent tube rose from beneath the sidewalk to tower behind an unfazed Aizawa. With a low hiss the double doors slid apart and Aizawa stepped inside, waiting for me to follow. I realized in that moment that it was an elevator to take us to the school.

Two things immediately came to mind that had me fuming. The first being that I should have noticed how the rest of the teachers yesterday morning weren't looking like they had just trekked through a forest to get to the school. It would be impractical for them to make that sort of journey every day, and I had never seen anyone else other than Aizawa and I walk the path that led to their secluded neighborhood. Of course they would have other ways to quickly get to the school building in case of an emergency, or if it was raining, or if they were like me and liked to sleep in. When given the two options, the elevator or the walk-path, of course people would choose convenience and speed every time. The forest path was just mere decoration, a nice leisurely stroll for those would who wanted it. This then led me to my next thought. That damn asshole had made me run the other morning when this had been an option all along.

"Are you coming or not?" Aizawa called out to me, feeding me back my own words. He knew full well of the thoughts that were going through my head at that very moment as I stood there incredulously at the sight.

"Oh, I'm definitely coming. But why in the hell did you make me run yesterday if this was here the entire time?" I snapped as I stomped after him.

"I needed to know your full capabilities, and now I do. Get in before I change my mind. You're wasting time."

I opened my mouth several times to shout out my unfiltered thoughts on that subject, but I thought better of it. Forcibly, I clamped my mouth shut, my lips pressing into a thin line as I quietly stewed and simmered. Climbing inside the elevator, I took my place beside the smirking hero, crossing my arms over my chest in a huff as the tube took us down beneath the street. We were both cast into complete darkness as the daylight disappeared above our heads before a row of lights came to life to outline a long tunnel under the ground.

"Brace yourself." Aizawa said in warning as I heard the beginning of mechanical whir start up somewhere.

"Wha-" I didn't even have time to finish before the tube hurled forwards, shooting down the tunnel that had me stumbling back into the elevator's walls from the sheer force. I had to push myself off the walls, locking down the muscles in my legs to support my weight as I took a step forward to stand next to Aizawa again. The bastard hadn't moved an inch when the elevator had been propelled down the shaft, and I hated him for it. I blamed all those hidden muscles that I knew lay beneath those baggy clothes he had on.

Aizawa quirked an eye in my direction when I managed to regain my position at his side, though I was slightly hunched forward to brace against the force of the inertia. It was glaringly evident that I lacked the inner core strength that Aizawa possessed, and I knew full well what I looked like standing next to him.

"Not. A. Word." I muttered under my breath when I felt a certain air of amusement emanating from him.

"I didn't say anything." He turned back to the front, though I could see a slight crinkle at the corners of his lips hiding a grin.

The lift began to slow and I could feel its trajectory shifting so that we were now rising upwards. We passed through the school's foundation and I blinked as my eyes adjusted from the dim light of the tunnel to the blinding incandescence of what looked like the inside of a large supply closet. The elevator steadily rose from the closet's floor, giving out a soft chime as it locked firmly into place. The doors parted and Aizawa stepped out with me close on his heels. With its job done and its passengers disembarked, the tube descended back into the floor to leave no trace that it was ever there.

"It's for the teachers' use only, and that includes you too." Aizawa explained to me as I studied the place where the elevator had disappeared, trying to find the seam in the tile. I turned my attention towards him, and he continued. "Don't mention it to the students. Not that they would be able to use it, but I don't want to find them on my doorstep after hours."

"My lips are sealed." I replied back. "But know this," I pointed to the spot on the floor, "now that I know this is here, you can bet that I'm going to use it from now on. I'm never running again." I let the promise air definitively between us as Aizawa opened the door to the storage space.

"Never, huh?"

I didn't like the way his voice spoke those words. He sounded confident that he would be able to make me run again, and I didn't want to imagine what kind of scenario that would lead to that. The very idea sent a chill down my spine. Not that I was against running, I just didn't like the concept of being forced to run.

I trailed after him out of the closet, and observed that we had ended up close to the front doors of the school. Passing by the large triple doors, I glanced outside and saw a rather large crowd in the distance by the school's front gate. They were congregated outside the large gate, but drew no closer to the school as if something was holding them back from entering. Aizawa noticed them too and came to a halt. He gave a heavy sigh when he saw a few of the early arriving students being heckled by the mob outside as they tried to get past them.

"Wait here." He told me. I watched him leave, pushing the doors open and stalking towards the mass of people with purposeful intent. He returned in short order with a sour mood on his face, and ushered me away from the doors quickly. I sensed he wanted to put some distance between us and whatever was out there beyond the gate. Even on a good day I hated crowds, so I wasn't exactly struggling to move away from the mysterious mob. But still, I was curious.

"Who are those people out there?" I asked him, looking over my shoulder as we left the front doors behind.

"Vultures." He grumbled, not bothering to elaborate further. There was such disdain in his voice that I hadn't heard out of him before. It only served to increase my curiosity to know who exactly was out there that Aizawa hated so vehemently. Normally, I wouldn't have devoted so much interest into someone's likes or dislikes, preferring to just entirely ignore the person if I could. But with Aizawa, I could feel myself becoming hyper aware of his presence and moods after last night, and that meant I was also growing more curious about the hero too. I wanted to know more about him. However, it was only day three since my arrival here, and I was still feeling out my position within this place and within his company. So I would wait and quietly observe all that I could.

As we proceeded away from the entrance my thoughts on Aizawa were steadily replaced by a growing sense of anxiety coursing through my veins. My heart had begun an increased tempo, and the closer we got to the faculty lounge the more my apprehension rose in my stomach. But for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. I put it down that I was just feeling hungry - something that a bit of food and tea would cure soon enough. Yet, the warning bells only rang out louder in the back of my mind as we finally came upon the door. I was missing something here. I knew it.

It wasn't until I reached for the handle to the door and heard the voices of the faculty inside when I remembered why I was feeling such dread. How could I have forgotten about this? I had been so preoccupied by the discovery of the teachers' secret lift and the strange crowd outside that I had forgotten the most important thing that I had to face today, and that thing was the faculty themselves. The faculty knew. They knew all about what happened to me yesterday, and how I had collapsed into an unresponsive state. And by now I had no doubts that word had spread to all of them, not just half. I wanted to hide, to just up and vanish till enough time had passed for this little episode to become a distant memory in their minds, or until something juicier came about to replace my incident.

"Are you waiting for an invite?" Aizawa asked behind me when I took a moment too long to open the door. With him there behind me, I was blocked in with the only way forward being through the door. Might as well get this over with if I wanted to eat.

"Nope." I replied back with a faked confidence, trying my best to square my shoulders as I took the plunge and opened the door. I had brief hopes that I would be able to quietly sneak in unnoticed, grab what I needed, and disappear like a ghost. If only I had the use of my quirk, I could have made that a reality. Damn this infernal collar.

The fates were not being kind that morning and all eyes turned towards us the moment I swung the door open.

"Eve!" The joyous cry rang out through a few staff members when they saw me. It was like they had been waiting there just for me to show up, but there were far too many of them for me to handle. There were too many faces and too many eyes.

"Oh hell." I thought as I froze like a deer caught in headlights. I thought I could do it, but it turned out I couldn't. I was still very much a chicken when it came to crowds. My social anxiety hadn't gone anywhere overnight, and even though the promise of tea and food lay on the other side, I would gladly give them up if it meant sparing me from the teachers' attentions.

I pivoted on my heel to backtrack out of there and had only managed to take a step before I felt a hand grasp the back of my shirt's collar, pulling me backwards and preventing my escape. Aizawa spun me back around and planted me in front of him as he forced me into the room and towards the eager faculty, quickly closing the door behind us so I couldn't make a run for it.

"Just let them get it out of their system. It'll be worse if you don't let them." He sighed in a low tone to me.

I tilted my head back to him while still keeping a firm eye on the ever nearing staff. "How much worse are we talking here? Cause I swear -"

He didn't wait for me to finish as he pressed me into the waiting heroes, and they closed their ranks around me, bombarding me with questions that I couldn't quite make out but I got the gist of. I threw a scowl at Aizawa as he abandoned me to drift over to where Mic was standing against the wall. Present Mic passed over a coffee mug to Aizawa and he accepted it, joining Mic to lean against the wall as he casually observed me. If looks could kill, then I wanted to make sure he knew of my deep, deep displeasure of his desertion. Lucky for him, but unfortunately for me, he never saw the look I was sending him as the staff members shifted and obscured him from view, and I was forced to deal with the interrogating faculty the best I could. I guess it was the price I would have to pay if I wanted to eat that morning. I just wanted to get this over quickly and hopefully the staff would leave me alone afterwards.

One small grace, if there was one at that moment, was that Midnight was pleasantly absent. I did not want to give her a 'report' on the underwear and bras she had left behind for me the night before. One reason being was that I hadn't gone through them yet as I had been caught up in reviewing the students' mock battles with Aizawa. And two, I just didn't want to discuss that sort of thing within earshot of other people - especially these people who I have to interact and see everyday. I knew Midnight had no shame discussing these kinds of topics in front of other people, but I certainly did.

While I addressed the comments and thoughts of concern from the staff, Mic and Aizawa stood off to the side in the room, quietly conversing with one another out of earshot.

"You sure you should be pushing her like that?" Mic asked his friend as he watched me jump slightly at the crowding presences around me. "You know with what happened yesterday and all that?"

"She'll be fine. This will be good for her. Nothing like a bit of desensitization and repeated experiences to cure someone's anxiety." Aizawa said back, taking a swig from the mug and scowling down at the concoction that Mic had put together.

"I don't know, man. Sounds like a good way to force someone back into their shell."

"She isn't a turtle, Mic." Aizawa paused for a moment as last night's memory passed through him. "She may be a little skittish at first, but once you feed her and she knows that she's safe, she starts to settle in and relax a bit."

"So like a cat, huh?" Mic grinned over his sunglasses at him and Aizawa stiffened at the suggestion.

"No. She's not like a cat." He stated in a carefully measured tone.

"Whatever you say, man. But what you just described right there is a cat."

Aizawa tilted his head towards Mic, shooting him with an impassive frown. "I see that you're being more ridiculous this morning than usual. Just like this coffee I'm holding."

"Criticizing my coffee skills, bro? That's rich coming from a person who doesn't know how to make it any other way besides black. What's got you so uptight this morning?"

"You must have seen them outside the gate."

"Fuckin' parasites." Mic grumbled darkly.

"Hmm." Aizawa agreed.

Mic glanced over to me in concern. "They didn't see her, did they?"

Aizawa tilted the mug back, chugging the hot liquid down completely before pulling a face as the taste hit his tongue.

"Nope." Aizawa said as his eyes left the empty mug and settled on me as I made an attempt to excuse myself from the teachers' circle, but I only ended up backing into Hound Dog's chest. I whipped around, spouting out a series of apologies to the Dog Hero. Aizawa's face softened a bit before he pushed off the wall to head to the breakfast spread with Mic following after him.

"Why is the press even here?" Mic asked as he watched Aizawa reach for a new mug off the stack while his other hand rummaged through the various tea selections next to the hot water dispenser.

"They're looking for a story on All Might." Aizawa explained as he found what he was looking for. "Must have gotten wind of him taking a teaching position here. But I guess the idiot does have his uses after all. As long as the press is focusing on him, they'll never notice our other new addition."

"You got a point there." Mic trailed off thoughtfully, digging his hands into his jacket's pockets as he slouched back. "Still don't like how they're hanging around on our front doorstep."

"I don't like it either. Just help me make sure that Eve doesn't go outside if they're still out there later." Aizawa turned to look at Mic, his eyes hard with hidden meaning.

"Sure, man. Though, it would be easier to just explain things to her."

"She'll find out when she needs to." Aizawa gathered the mug into his hand, ending the conversation and striding over to where he had left me. Reaching in, he drew me out of the circle and sent the other teachers an expressionless stare as he forced the cup of tea into my hands.

"Time's up. Classes are about to start." He stated dryly to the staff members.

They got the underlying message and dispersed without argument. My eyes swung from the retreating backs of the faculty to the warm mug now in my hands, perplexed by my dramatic change in circumstance. I had tried many times to escape on my own, but each time I was blocked or drawn back in for one reason or another. And yet, all it took was one glance from Eraserhead and they left me alone. So his tactics worked on both the kids and the teachers. Just what kind of reputation did he have in this place?

"Um, thanks." I nodded to him quietly, bringing the tea to my lips. I gave a satisfied exhale as the comforting liquid shot down my throat and warmed my insides. Finally, I had my reward and all was right with the world once more. I shook myself suddenly, reminding myself that it had been Aizawa who had pushed me into the waiting teachers and had forthwith abandoned me there.

My face grew bitter, and I narrowed my eyes in his direction. "I'm still mad at you for before."

On cue he withdrew a pastry in his other hand, presenting it up to my face. God, I could smell the sugar from here and I was already salivating. I let my spare hand whip out and take the offered treat before ripping into it with my teeth like a savage. The taste hit my tongue and instantly I felt calmer. Chewing slowly and swallowing, I turned my attention back to Eraserhead.

"Still mad, but this helps." I grumbled out, taking smaller bites as I savored my breakfast.

He stared down at me as I finished off the pastry, lips hinting at a grin. "I'll remember that for next time."

Behind him I heard Mic give out a cough, muttering something under his breath that sounded vaguely like the word 'cat'. Aizawa heard it too. In the time it took me to blink, Aizawa had disappeared in front of me and the next he was standing menacingly over Present Mic with Mic pinned to the floor under his boot. Mic had been wrapped up in a cocoon of straps while one of the bindings had been devoted especially to Mic's mouth, making it impossible for him utter a single word. Though, he certainly was trying to against Aizawa's capture weapon. I heard several muffled shouts and what sounded like expletives coming out of Mic's mouth, but they were incomprehensible.

I nervously glanced around at the other staff members, wondering if they would intervene between the two, but they just ignored the pair as if this was not an unusual occurrence to witness. Just what exactly happened at this school that allowed heroes to attack each other like that?

Aizawa left a bound, and firmly gagged, Mic behind him, returning to me while using his body to block a wiggling Mic from my view. But I wasn't dissuaded from his attempts to hide Mic from me as I leaned around Aizawa, watching Present Mic scoot across the floor like an inchworm. I didn't know whether to help him or let someone else take care of it.

"Ignore him." Aizawa said to me in exasperation. "Mic sounded like he was developing a cough so I covered it for him. Didn't want to risk the other staff members' health because of his negligence."

That seemed a bit extreme in my opinion, but considering no one else was giving the scene any attention or bothering to help out poor Mic I wrote this down as 'normal' behavior that just existed around here. How else would you explain Midnight's sexual harassment and Aizawa's frequent use of his capture weapon on the students - and now the teachers apparently? It was becoming clear to me that this place operated under an entirely different set of rules.

"If you say so." I murmured in quiet disbelief, straightening back up to meet Aizawa's eyes. I decided it would be best to move away from the elephant in the room, and address something that I had been meaning to find that morning.

"Is All Might around?" I twisted my head around the space, hoping to spot the familiar twin blonde tufts sticking out in one of the groups of conversing hero staff. But I hadn't seen him when I had initially entered, and looking around I saw that he still hadn't arrived that morning. "I want to apologize to him for scaring him the other day, and thank him for being so concerned about me."

"He's out today. It's his day off so he can keep up some semblance of his public hero work, but I'll be sure to pass along your sentiments to him." Aizawa explained, looking down at me with an emotionless mask.

"Oh, okay. Thank you."

There was something about his tone of voice that made me think that he never was going to relay my message to All Might. My suspicions from last night over Aizawa's actions rose again in my mind.

Mic gave out a loud muffled yell and I twisted my head around Aizawa's side once more, growing concerned. I knew from experience just how tight Aizawa used his bonds on his victims, and was now slightly anxious that Mic couldn't breathe being tied up like that.

"You sure we shouldn't -" I started.

Aizawa interrupted me, tilting his head back to observe his suffering friend. "He's fine. He's used to it by now, so he'll free himself eventually."

Just how often did Aizawa tie up Mic for him to know how to escape out of those bonds? My eyes swept back and forth between Aizawa and Mic. The friendship that existed between these two was certainly strange, but there again I wasn't one to talk. My only, and currently very absent, friend has never revealed his face to me in all the years I've known him. I didn't know what he looked like, his age, or even where he was, but we were still partners and friends through and through.

My eyes settled on a still squirming Mic, showing my surprise at this new piece of information that Aizawa had given me.

"He will? When?"

"Hopefully after class starts." Aizawa answered in a crooked grin, and his eyes glanced over to the clock in the room. "Speaking of which, it's time we headed over."

Aizawa left the room quickly and I was forced to trail after him, leaving behind Mic to free himself as Aizawa and I made our way to the classroom of 1-A. I felt a little bad about leaving Mic behind like that, but it wasn't like I could undo Aizawa's bindings myself. And, if Aizawa was to be believed, Mic would eventually get out on his own, though I did hope that one of the other faculty would take pity and help now that Aizawa wasn't there to scare them off. I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind as I refocused my energies on bracing myself for the rest of the day.

I already had my tea and was starting to feel the effects of the sugar buzz from the pastry. I also hadn't had to run that morning for my breakfast, and had already handled the most stressful part of the day by facing the concerns of the teachers so I was feeling pretty optimistic about the rest of the day's outlook by the time we reached the classroom. Opening the door, Aizawa entered with me close behind him as a hush fell over the students.

Closing the door behind me, I immediately spotted the new addition of a student desk in the space. It had been placed straight ahead so it had a perfect view of the door, but also angled enough so that the occupant could see the classroom board. Call it a hunch, but I knew it had been placed there just for me. It looked like I would be getting started on getting that education after all. Joy.

I hovered for a moment, unsure now with this new addition if I was supposed to take a seat like the students, or assume my usual position off to the side. As Aizawa stood before the podium, he made a small motion with his finger, indicating to me to stand beside him. I was all too happy to oblige. I didn't want to sit at that desk until I had to anyway. Yesterday's memory of that torture disguised as a knowledge exam had left a wary impression on my psyche.

Aizawa began to speak, drawing the class's undivided attention to the front, and also unfortunately to me as well as I shifted slightly under their gazes. It wasn't as bad as before, but I still didn't like to be at the center.

"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, you guys. I saw the video feeds and went over each of your team's results." Aizawa said to the students.

My head snapped over to his and my eyes narrowed slightly at the blatant lie. I had been the one to review all the students training while he slept. Sure, he could have watched the last battle after I had fallen asleep, but I doubted it.

"Bakugo." Aizawa turned to address the teen. "You're talented. So don't sulk like a child about your loss, okay?"

"Yah, whatever." Bakugo murmured, looking away a bit ashamed at his calling out.

Immediately, I recalled how he had wounded Midoriya during yesterday's fight and I felt my temper resurface. I quickly sent my eyes over to settle on Midoriya, seeing no trace of the burns or broken bones that I had witnessed on the video feeds. So he had been able to be fully healed by Recovery Girl like Aizawa had mentioned, but that didn't stop me from sending a dark glare straight at the spiky blonde teen responsible for sending Midoriya there in the first place. Aizawa may have said that he and I didn't need to do anything to correct Bakugo's behavior, but I was still going to watch the teen like a hawk and make him aware of it too. I may not have the use of my quirk to help me intimidate the teen, but he didn't know that. And there was nothing quite like my fury when I decided to use it.

Bakugo caught the look I was sending him and he quickly stiffened, diverting his face away in hot frustration. But the message had been received. Aizawa cast me a side glance out of the corner of his eye, sensing my dark energy but saying nothing as he turned back to the class. I reined myself back in before the other students could start casting hesitant glances at me.

"Midoriya." Aizawa called out, causing the nervous teen to sit up straighter. Aizawa continued on as he looked over the notebook from last night within his hands. "I see the only way you won the match was by messing up your arm again. Work harder. And don't give me the excuse that you don't have control over your quirk. That line is already getting old. You can't keep breaking your body while training here. But your quirk will be really useful if you can get a handle on it. So show a little urgency, huh?"

Midoriya perked up at the hidden encouragement. "Right!"

Setting down the notebook on the podium, Aizawa pinned the whole class with a measured stare. "Let's get down to business. Our first task will decide your future. You all need to pick a class representative."

Instantly the class drew up in a clamor, their excited energies slamming into me as I edged closer to Eraserhead at the podium. Whatever this 'class representative' was to them, they all wanted to be it.

"What's up with them?" I whispered to Eraserhead, making sure I was loud enough so he could hear me over the animated students. "What's a class representative?"

"It's someone who leads the class and acts as their collective voice. They all want to be picked for the job because it's a stepping stone for them to get noticed by hero agencies and prove that they can lead others. Though, it's just a bunch of extra work with very little chance of anything coming from it." He explained, turning to me slightly and noticing just how close I was next to him.

"That sounds...tiring." I wrinkled my nose in distaste. "Who would want to take on extra responsibilities like that when there's no guarantee that it will work out like they wanted?"

Aizawa observed me for a moment out of the corner of his eye, a certain intensity lying that gaze before he turned back to the over eager students.

"Who indeed." He murmured quietly.

I didn't have a chance to comment back as Iida's voice drew both of our focuses back to the students.

"Silence! Everyone, please!" Iida shouted above the roar of the classroom. "The class representative's duty is to lead others. That's not something that just anyone can do. You must first have the trust of every student in the classroom. Therefore, the most logical way to fill this position is democratically. We will hold an election to choose our leader!" He shot a shaky hand high above his head. He clearly wanted to be chosen.

"Is this really the best idea?" Kaminari asked aloud.

"We've only known each other for a few days. How do we know who we can trust?" Asui stated with a bit of concern.

"Besides, everyone will just vote for themselves." Kirishima added on.

"Most people will, but that means whoever does receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable person for the job. It's the best way, right, sir?" Iida turned towards Eraserhead for approval.

"Do what you want. Just decide before my nap is over." Eraserhead said tiredly beside me. I spun to face him, but he was already on the ground. "Eve, you're in charge. Watch them. Make sure they don't get too out of hand." He zipped up the zipper on his sleeping bag, nestling back against the classroom wall.

"Eh?" I stared down at the yellow caterpillar he had transformed into, wondering where he had pulled that thing out of. And for another, why was he the one who gets to take a nap?! I was up longer than him last night! The nerve of that man! I wanted to tell him all of this, but I discovered that he was already fast asleep. If that wasn't one of his superpowers, I would be very surprised if it wasn't. No one falls asleep that quickly in random places - no one except me.

Resigning myself to the role he thrust me into, I turned back to the students and froze. They were all staring at me very intently now that Eraserhead was out of the picture. I ignored their fierce gazes as best I could, stealing myself for the task at hand.

"So how do you all want to start this voting process -" I opened my mouth, but was interrupted before I could finish.

"Midoriya told us yesterday that he saw you lying out cold in the infirmary. What happened to you?" Kaminari raised his hand, speaking out the question that seemed to be on all of their minds.

That's right. Midoriya had visited Recovery Girl before leaving school yesterday to get his arms healed. And if All Might had carried me there - though, I wasn't even sure if it had truly been him given Aizawa's earlier reaction - then of course Midoriya would have seen me at some point. He had then, understandably, relayed his findings to the rest of the class. It was not every day that one found an adult admitted to the nurse's office.

I read the temperature of the classroom and knew that the issue of choosing a class representative had taken a backseat. Apparently, what happened to me yesterday was a far more interesting topic. I was hoping to avoid having the kids find out, but here we are and I knew I wasn't going to be able to avoid their questions forever.

I clutched the podium for support as the memory of yesterday's events resurfaced. "I passed out due some certain circumstances." I answered simply, trying my best to keep the details vague. "So I was out for a time yesterday afternoon and ended up in the nurse's office accidentally."

"Is it true that you had some sort of battle with Mr. Aizawa? Did that have something to do with why you ended up in the nurse's office?" Jiro raised her hand, speaking next.

Word sure traveled fast around here. I wondered what else the kids might have heard. And if they had heard of my battle, then by extension the rest of the school would have as well. There went my chance for obscurity. My competitive need to protect my reputation and ultimately win had rebounded spectacularly and made me the latest piece of gossip among the faculty and the students. Lovely.

"While Aizawa and I did battle against each other, that's not the reason why I ended up in the nurse's office." I answered her.

"Why were you two fighting?" Mina asked, not bothering to raise her hand like the others had done.

"It really wasn't a fight." I explained quickly. "It was more like a test of sorts. Kinda like what you guys did yesterday with your mock battles, but instead of capturing a weapon head I had to capture Aizawa to pass my test." Or retrieve a valuable item off said person, but I wasn't about to mention that part and risk spiraling down that particular rabbit hole.

"Well? What happened?! How did you do?" Hakagure asked excitedly.

"It doesn't matter." I dodged her question, trying desperately to redirect the class's attention back to the election. "Now shouldn't all of you get started on-"

"Of course it matters! Did you win or not against Mr. Aizawa?" Mina asked, leaning forward on her desk as she eagerly awaited my answer. The rest of the class seemed to share in her interest as I felt all twenty pairs of eyes upon me.

They were being awfully persistent on this subject, and I knew that they weren't just going to drop it if I kept dancing around their questions. This endless circle of questions and half answers was just wasting time, and I didn't want them to suffer Aizawa's wrath if he woke up before they had come to a decision on a class representative. There was going to be enough of that in the future if I knew anything about Aizawa's temperament by now.

"I won." I stated simply, leaving it at that. I hoped that it would be enough to sedate their curiosity for now.

"WHAT?!" A chorus rose up among the students, and I heard Bakugo's voice cry out louder than the rest. The disbelief in his tone was more than evident.

Looking over the sea of students I saw that this new information had granted me some newfound reverence within their eyes. They knew Aizawa well enough by now, and they rightfully feared and respected him. And yet, I - an unremarkable figure who hasn't proven herself in their eyes beyond Midoriya's brief explanation of who I was - had beaten the very person who intimidated them into obedience. I could feel the hierarchy of the classroom shift slightly as I was elevated upwards in the ranks. I wasn't above Aizawa - they feared him too much for that to happen - but I also certainly wasn't beneath him. I was somewhere on equal footing with the hero, and I was okay with that.

"Now that you all know how it went, shouldn't you guys get started on picking a class representative?" I leaned forward on the podium, cradling my head in my hands as I casually observed them. "You know, before Aizawa wakes up?" I gestured to the sleeping hero on the floor. I wasn't afraid to invoke Aizawa's reputation upon their heads if it meant that we could get this show on the road. If I couldn't intimidate them yet on my own merit, then I would use his.

Thankfully, it was enough to jar them back to the task at hand. With the class back on course, I was able to step aside and let the students conduct themselves in the voting process. Though, I was bit surprised when they offered me a vote in the choosing of the class representative, but I turned it down. It didn't feel right considering while I was technically one of them, I wasn't part of them. Whoever was chosen among their ranks would have no influence over me as a leader. That position was already filled by Aizawa and only Aizawa.

It wasn't long until a class representative and deputy was elected by a blind vote, appointing Midoriya as president and Yaoyorozu as second in command. Smart of them to do it that way too since there was immediate backlash - namely from a hot-tempered blonde whose name was Bakugo.

"Okay, you idiots! Who voted for him?" Bakugo yelled, jumping to his feet and slamming his hands against the desk in front of him.

"What? Did you honestly think that anyone was going to vote for you?" Sero told him.

"What did you just say? Don't tell me you voted for that little turd!" Bakugo shot back angrily.

I winced as his harsh temper continued to flare out, opting to tune his voice to the background as I studied Iida and Midoriya. True to character, Midoriya was quaking in his seat as he felt the pressure that had been dumped onto his shoulders. While the kid was indeed nervous, I knew he would be up to the task given adequate time and confidence. He was smart and he was kind. He would not use this position to his own advantage, unlike some other students I will leave nameless. Iida, on the other hand, was shaking for entirely different reasons. His fists were clenched upon his desk as tremors wracked through his body brought upon by his own frustrations that he was trying to keep contained within. He had a natural disposition to be a leader, but it looked like it wasn't in the cards for him here. I took solace in the fact that they at least hadn't chosen Bakugo to be the class representative. That would have been a nightmare all the way around.

With the job done and the candidates chosen, I decided to wake Aizawa. Kneeling in front of him and seeing his sleeping peaceful face, my mind couldn't help but flash back to the previous night. I almost didn't have the heart to wake him. Key word here being 'almost'. He had woken me rather rudely that very morning, and I hadn't forgotten about that. So waking him from his undeserved nap was at the very bottom of my list of things to berate myself over.

I poked him in the arm through the puffy yellow down of his sleeping bag, calling out his name.

He stirred, opening his eyes groggily. "Are they finally done?"

"Yep. They decided a few hours ago. Bakugo's president, and Mineta is deputy. You slept through the whole school day."

His eyes shot open, darting over to the clock on the wall before flashing back to mine to see the wide grin on my face.

"Very funny." He huffed, rising to his feet. Aizawa looked to the election results displayed on the classroom board, cocking his eyebrow at me when he finally read them. I twisted away sheepishly to avoid his gaze. I just couldn't take him seriously while he was in that lumpy yellow bag. I heard the sound of the zipper as the sleeping bag fell to the floor behind me, and Aizawa stepped out of it.

"I suppose that was for earlier." He sighed, though I could also hear small hints of a chuckle in his voice that told me he wasn't mad at my deception.

"I have no idea what you mean." I replied, cocking my head back to him, my face the picture of innocence.

Aizawa smirked at me, a dangerous fire lighting behind his hooded eyes that I couldn't tear myself away from. It wasn't a look that instilled fear in me - I had moved beyond that by now - but it was a look that sent shivers running through my core and had me wondering what sort of schemes he was planning behind those unblinking eyes. Something deep within me told me that I had inadvertently awoken something wicked within the hero, and I was going to find out later exactly what that was - for better or for worse.

A small girlish 'eep' sounded out from Mina, and I broke free from Aizawa's gaze to lay my eyes on the girl as she hastily covered her mouth. Mina's face was strangely flushed and she was staring straight at Aizawa and I with a charged grin on her lips. She looked like she had just seen something incredibly illicit, though I couldn't imagine what. Eraserhead took the opportunity to retake the podium, calling up Midoriya and Yaoyorozu to the front.

"All right. The class rep is Midoriya, and our deputy is Yaoyorozu." Aizawa spoke simply as Midoriya continued to tremble in front of them all. Yaoyorozu gave a heavy sigh at seeing who she had been paired up with in the leadership role. With the results sealed into place, Aizawa dismissed the pair back to their seats and gathered his sleeping bag off the floor.

"Now that's done and over with, it's time for class to begin. First period today is Modern Literature with Cementoss. See you all later. Behave yourselves." He told the class as he strode out of the room, passing by Cementoss at the door. Aizawa turned back, throwing me a sly grin that only I could see as I realized what was happening a little too late. I had failed the Modern Literature portion of my exam so I was not exempt from today's lesson. I had to stay. I had to sit. And I had to learn. Aizawa saw the doomed resignation in my eyes as he slid the door firmly shut, sealing me inside.

I rubbed my face of the heavy sigh that wanted to escape from my lips as I made my way over to the desk that was now mine. Sitting down in it, I felt incredibly small, vulnerable, and, most importantly, isolated. I almost wished my desk had been put to the back of the class where I would be out of sight, but still have the obscurity afforded to being part of a group. Not that I wanted to be there to begin with.

Cementoss gave me a polite nod, seeing that I was ready and started his lesson for the day. I followed along as best I could, pulling out the book that had been tucked away into my desk as the rest of the class drew out their own. I could feel more than a few stares from the students as I flipped the textbook open. This was my first time joining them for lessons and it honestly felt weird to me too. But I was determined to suffer in silence and not let on to them just how far beneath I was to their education level. That would only damage the newfound respect that I had gained that day. When in doubt, fake it till you make it. At least that's what I continued to tell myself as I endured through several hours of monotonous hell. My hand had cramped up multiple times as I took detailed notes on everything and anything that I imagined to be important until the blessed bell rang out, signaling for lunch. I stretched in my chair before standing, trailing out with the students as my stomach gave a low rumble.

"Ms. Eve!" Uraraka stepped up to my side and I looked down at the young girl. "Do you want to eat lunch with us today?" She signaled between herself, Midoriya, and Iida. Midoriya's eyes lit up at the prospect of me joining their group. He still had several questions about Ghost that he was dying to get answers for, and I had a few questions of my own. Namely what kind of websites he was visiting for him to even know so much about me. A word may need to be had with his mother to restrict his internet privileges.

"Just Eve is fine. Ms. Eve makes me sound so old." I replied back. "And I would like t-"

"Sorry, but she's with me." Aizawa spoke up as I passed through the door and out into the hallway. I twisted around to find Eraserhead slouching against the wall, arms folded over his chest.

"Mr. Aizawa!" The students said together, straightening in respect when they saw him too.

"How long were you out here?" I asked him in a frown.

He ignored me and pushed off the wall to address the trio. "Go on ahead to lunch, all of you."

"Very well!" Iida gave a short bow. "Have a pleasant meal!"

Iida started down the hall as Uraraka gave me a nod. I gave her an apologetic smile, and hoped that she would ask me again to lunch some other time. I didn't mind her company, or Midoriya's for that matter.

"See you later then, Eve!" She called out as she and Midoriya caught up to Iida a short distance away.

I turned back to Aizawa with a tired look on my face, desperately hoping that he wasn't here to collect me for another exam. I didn't think I had it in me for another trial after what transpired yesterday.

"Did you need me?" I asked.

He studied me for a moment, and jerked his thumb in the direction of the teachers' lounge. "Come on. I have lunch ready for us."

So he had food for me, not another test. At least that was a relief to hear.

I threw a final glance at the fading students' backs, but going with them did mean having to face the entire school body in the cafeteria with all that noise and all their curious eyes. I stuck out like a sore thumb with no flashy costume or student uniform to put me firmly into one of the two categories that existed here. There was that, and now there was the rumor floating around about me from yesterday's match with Aizawa which would only prove to further the mystery surrounding me. While I doubted I would be ambushed so brazenly in the cafeteria, it didn't mean I couldn't feel the student body's web of complex emotions, especially when they were directed at me. I didn't need to experience that while I tried to eat. It was probably for the best to stay out of sight till things calmed down.

My eyes flashed back to Aizawa, settling on him and remembering his promise of food. He was the far better option here.

"Lead the way." I nodded my head to him.

Aizawa had seen the way I had stared after the students and the gears that turned in my mind as I came to my decision. If he had thoughts on this, he didn't show them to me as he turned around for me to follow after him. It took only a few minutes for us to reach the fast becoming familiar door of the faculty lounge. Aizawa opened the door, holding it open just long enough for me to pass inside before he entered himself. Entering the faculty lounge, I spied a few of the other teachers around the scattered tables, their own lunches spread before them as they ate together in their social groups. They paid us no mind for once as Aizawa led me to one of the unoccupied tables. Resting on the table's surface I could already see a tray with two untouched meals that Aizawa had procured from the cafeteria beforehand. Sitting down in one of the empty chairs, I reached for the one of the meals that was closest to me and dragged it forwards. The two meals were identical in being that they were both some sort of burger with a side of fries. I wasn't going to be picky about Aizawa's lunch choice, so I accepted the food readily. My stomach wasn't going to turn down any food at that point as sitting through the morning's lessons had whipped me into a ravenous hunger.

"Thank you." I muttered to Aizawa, thanking him for the food. He nodded his head slightly, dragging the remaining meal before him and bringing the sandwich to his mouth.

I followed his example, quietly digging into the savory burger and chowing down. The teachers' lounge was strangely quiet in comparison to earlier that morning with only the low conversations of the other faculty rising and falling in the background, but I didn't mind. I preferred the quiet, and sitting there with Aizawa I didn't feel the need to strike up a conversation to keep things cordial. A certain level of peace settled between us, each of us comfortable in the silence of the other as we ate our meals. I was sensing that Aizawa was a creature like me who preferred the peace and quiet considering he didn't try to strike up a conversation either. Besides, what was there to talk about? The weather? School work? Hell no. No, what we had here was perfect. There was no pressure to perform, at least on my account, and we could just simply eat.

But that peace was shattered without warning. A shrill shriek of an alarm pierced through the room as red strobing lights descended from the ceiling to cast us all in a sea of crimson. I jumped in my chair from the sudden high pitched wail, nearly choking on the unfinished food as Aizawa leapt to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor.

A woman's automated voice sounded through the speakers above the alarm. "Warning! Level three security breach. All students please evacuate the building in an orderly fashion."

The other teachers in the room stood to immediate attention as well, springing into action as they rushed from their tables and out the door.

"Stay here!" Aizawa ordered me, racing to the door to follow them out.

"Aizawa! What's going on?" I got up from my seat quickly, taking a step in preparation to start running after him. Whatever this level three security breach was, it had all the teachers on high alert, and if the blaring sounds and lights were any indicator, this was something out of the ordinary.

"Do not leave this room!" He commanded, turning towards me with a single finger pointing to the floor to emphasize how serious he was about me obeying this order. Without another word or glance he opened the door and disappeared out into the chaos of the hall outside. Before the door could close behind him I caught a glimpse of the scurrying students beyond. They were all terrified and running by in a blind panic. It was the last thing I saw before the door closed on its own and I was left all alone inside.

I couldn't sit back down with the red lights flashing about the space nor with the alarm continuing to blare in my ears. Why did it have to be so damn loud? My heart was beating rapidly with the adrenaline in my chest and I couldn't sit back down and just wait. But Aizawa had told me to stay put and at that point I saw no reason not to obey that request. So I paced the room, hearing the pounding and squeaking of the students' shoes outside as they ran by the door.

The woman's voice continued to repeat on an endless cycle, reminding the students to evacuate in an orderly fashion, though that mandate was clearly not being heeded judging by the frantic noises I was still hearing. In my pacing about, my mind was left to speculate and imagine what was going on outside. The dark recesses of my mind trickled up like a fountain, beginning to whisper my innermost fears until that trickle turned into a raging river to drag me under.

Did Purveyor finally escape? Was he coming to collect me like he said he would? Was he here within this very school stalking the halls in search of me? Was he alone, or did he bring help? I couldn't fight him. I couldn't run. Aizawa wasn't here. I couldn't rely on him or the other teachers to protect me if they were occupied elsewhere. I was on my own, and I was completely defenseless. Purveyor was cunning and would find me in due course while I would be like a wrapped gift on a silver platter to him if I couldn't use my quirk to fight back. He would sell me to the highest bidder, and I would be forced back into the shadows of society to be used for whatever means whether it was for my body or for my quirk. I knew if I was dragged down into those dark depths I would never be found again. Those kinds of people who thrived in the shadows had far reaching influences and very deep pockets. They would make sure that no hero ever reached me, and I would never be able to escape. Would anyone even come for me? Ivan would certainly try, but he was a hacker, not a fighter. There would only be so much he could do before I was lost forever.

Already I could see the metal bars of a cage in front of my eyes as thick needles plunged into my veins to render me immobile and compliant. In my mind's eye I was being strapped down to a table, the latest specimen for some experiment as emotionless warped faces hovered above me. They were going to extract whatever they could from me over and over again until my body could handle it no more, and then I would be discarded like yesterday's trash. That was the fate that awaited me if Purveyor ever found me.

I felt it coming before I could try to temper it. My body seized up, forcing me to double over as my hands balled into fists that refused to obey me while I struggled to take a breath. My spiraling dark thoughts had brought on a full blown panic attack, rendering my body worthless to do anything else but stagger to the couch before I could crumple on the floor. Collapsing down on the cushions, I cradled my fists close to my chest, withdrawing them completely as I bent over my knees to let my head hang there between them. The pressure of my weight over my legs seemed to ease my breathing, but just barely. I tried to concentrate on my individual breaths, but the emptiness of the room only caused my mind to draw up fresh torments for me and I was heaving again. I couldn't do anything but to either wait it out for the attack to pass, or to let my body shut itself down. Given how the edges of my vision were beginning to haze and black dots were dancing in front of me, I was leaning towards the latter of the two. I could only hope that it would happen sooner rather than later. I just wanted to get this over quickly before anyone could discover me. Collapsing two days in a row would set a precedent that I would never recover from.

I didn't know how long I was hunched over there on the couch. I didn't notice the way the traffic outside had quieted down, nor when the alarm had finally fallen silent with the flashing lights ascending back up into the ceiling. I was so far withdrawn inside my own head that I didn't even hear the click of the handle on the door opening as someone stepped inside.

"It was just the media." Aizawa huffed out angrily as he entered through the door. His eyes were on the floor as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as if that would ease his latest frustrations. "Mic's out front with the police and they're being escorted off the premises as we speak. How they got past the school's security gate remains to be seen. Principal Nezu and some of the other staff are looking into it." He paused, dropping his hand down to his side when he didn't immediately spot me. "Eve?" He called out into the room.

The sound of my own name allowed me to rise back to the surface of consciousness. I recognized the baritone of Aizawa's voice and very briefly my thoughts were quietened.

"Eve?" He called again, a bit more urgently.

I bit my lip. I didn't want to answer, but it wasn't like I could move or hide myself.

"I'm here." I replied weakly from the couch. I was still curled over my knees, my body shaking and my hands cradled tightly against my chest.

I heard his footsteps round the couch and come to a stop when he finally saw the state I was in. My hair had fallen out of its bun to tumble over my shoulders and obscure my face from Aizawa's view - small blessings I guess - but it couldn't hide the way my body was positively shaking or the way I was struggling to get a normal breath in.

"What happened?" Immediately he was on full alert, taking a hasty step forward when he thought I had been injured.

My body recoiled automatically at his approach, and I turned my head away to better hide my face, straining through the muscles spasms as they raced through my body.

"I'm fine." I gritted through my teeth. "Just a bit of a panic attack. Give me a minute, and I'll be okay."

"You don't look fine." He observed.

"I'm okay. Really. It's just my hands. They're not currently working right now." I tried to laugh it off in effort to sound convincing, but my ragged breaths gave me away. A second ticked by and I could feel Aizawa studying every inch of me.

"How long have you been like this?" He asked carefully.

I didn't have an answer for him so I stayed quiet, taking small breaths as I tried to regain some of the air in my lungs from talking. Aizawa's feet appeared on the edges of my peripheral vision and I felt just how close he was. I heard the soft shuffle of his clothes as he sat down on the coffee table to be directly in front of me.

"Let me see your hands." He murmured quietly, rolling his hands face up over his knees for me to lay mine into. He didn't make a move to try and touch me or reach out to take my hands from me. He was waiting for me to make the first move when I was ready to accept his help.

Hesitantly, I lifted my head up from my knees to look at him. I was more than confused by his offer, but Aizawa's eyes were centered on his motionless hands, not making eye contact with me even when I stared up at him. There was nothing for me to read there in his expression, nothing to give me a hint behind his motivations or current thoughts. My eyes left his face as I followed his gaze to his open palms, and I remembered the safety I had found when those hands were wrapped around me last night. They had not a been cage, but a shield from the suffocating darkness that threatened to consume me then. Those same hands were now here before me again, patiently waiting for me to accept them. In my soul I knew those hands would set me free - and I ached to be free.

Very slowly I sat up and forced my unwilling hands away from my chest, inch by inch dropping them face down into his. As I laid my fists within his I couldn't help but notice how small they looked in comparison within his much larger ones. The skin on his palms was a bit rough and calloused, but I could feel the strength lying beneath the surface that could only be gained from years of repeated hard work.

Aizawa took my clenched fists in his hands, rotating them over as his fingers traveled down to gently grasp my wrists. His thumbs began to rub small measured circles across the tendons there before sweeping downwards towards my palms. With each repeated motion he made I could feel my tense muscles slowly start to relax, and my eyes followed the movement his fingers made across my skin, slightly hypnotized.

"What were you planning on making tonight?" He asked softly.

His question caught me by surprise and my head jerked up from the motion of his fingers to look at him. But Aizawa's eyes weren't staring back. They were downcast and still concentrating on my hands within his as he continued to work on unclenching my fists.

"What?" I breathed out heavily, unsure if I had heard him right.

"What were you planning on making for dinner tonight?" He clarified, still not lifting his gaze to meet mine.

"I - I was - I was going to make -" I couldn't finish the sentence. I couldn't remember it anymore, and that in itself gave me cause to panic. The dark whispers were returning and felt myself slipping back down the ladder to the depths of my personal dark hell. I squeezed my eyes shut and my fingers curled back despite Aizawa's ministrations. I bore through the pain as a ringing tore through my ears, deafening me.

"Open your eyes!" Aizawa pulled me suddenly forwards, drawing me back out with the sudden motion so I was staring into his eyes this time. They were mere inches away from mine and from this distance I could make out faint traces of a deep crimson hidden amongst the dark irises that I had not noticed before. Those orbs peered back behind dark tresses, and I wondered just how deep Aizawa could see into me. Could he see the darkness that resided in my mind? Could he see the terrors that threatened to tear me apart? I didn't want him to dive that deep. I didn't want him to see how truly broken I was on the inside. So I closed my eyes, shutting him out.

"Keep your eyes open." He commanded sternly and his thumbs suddenly swept down to a pressure point within my palms, sending a bolt of pain up my arms as I was forced to open my eyes again in surprise. Aizawa's gaze captured mine until I was locked in and couldn't look away. "Good. Keep them open." He silently praised, and his grip on my hands eased up. His fingers went to work again on the muscles in my hands, bit by bit unfurling them back, but his eyes never left mine again.

"You were telling me what you were planning on making for dinner. Tell me what you need to make it. Focus on that."

From the depths of my mind I caught a glimpse of pasta. That sounded right. It was an ingredient, right?

"I need pasta." I replied back, and the tips of Aizawa's mouth twitched upwards.

"Pasta? Is that it? Not going to be much of a meal."

"No, I also need heavy cream, cream cheese, and…" I paused for a moment too long as the edges of my mind began to slip.

"And?" He encouraged me.

I shook myself, focusing back on the recipe. "-parmesan. Though I should probably add some chicken in there too for protein. Broccoli would go nicely with it as well."

"That doesn't sound like a simple meal. I thought I told you to keep it simple." He smirked.

"It is simple." I refuted in a huff. "It's not like I'm making a five course meal here. It's just pasta covered in deliciousness with some add-ons thrown in there. Easy-peasy. Anyone can make it."

"Anyone can make it, huh? We'll see about that when I'm the one making it later."

"No, you're not. I'm making it tonight. You signed cooking duties over to me, remember?" I argued back, a fire lighting up in my voice. I was very serious when it came to cooking. I had managed to find something that I was good at and would be of help, and I wasn't about to let that go.

"There you are." Aizawa breathed out so low that I almost didn't catch it. I blinked, slightly stunned as the features of his face smoothed out into a gentle expression. He glanced down at my hands and his fingers stilled. "Try moving your hands now." He stated, removing his thumbs from over my palms, but still supporting my hands within his.

"Huh?" I was taken aback, but I noticed that I was no longer breathing heavily. The tremors that had torn through my body were mysteriously gone, and my muscles felt oddly relaxed. I stared down at our hands, flexing the individual fingers and they responded this time to my commands. When I looked back up to Aizawa I saw that he was staring down at them too, a satisfied expression on his face as I repeatedly furled and unfurled the digits. He dropped his hands away as he pushed off the coffee table, standing and walking back towards the door, only stopping to look back at me when I didn't follow.

"It's time to head back." He stated, tilting his head to the door.

That was it. There was no discussion of what just happened or what had caused me to end up this way. There were no judgments, no fussing, or making it more than what it was. The panic attack had come and now it was gone, quickly fading away into oblivion to leave nothing behind. That was all there was to it. Aizawa had rescued me from myself, and he had done it without question.

Numbly, I nodded my head, standing and following after him. He waited for me to pass by before closing the door behind us. The hallways were quiet as he walked beside me. Normally, he would have taken the lead to wherever we were going, but he was sticking close to me this time. Not exactly hovering, but close enough to be a steady presence should I need it. His actions were speaking louder than any words would have ever done. And those actions were telling me that he genuinely cared more than he was letting on or would ever openly admit to. But that was fine. I wasn't sure either what to make of this new development that had occurred between us. I could understand what he did, but not truly the reason behind the why of it. Why would he make the extra time and effort for me? It was a question that I didn't have an answer to. He was going far beyond what any normal person would do when they encountered a person as broken as me. It was a concept that was confusing me greatly. He was confusing me greatly.

I snuck a side glance at the hero walking next to me as he continued to stare straight ahead, hands shoved into his pockets in his signature slouch.

"Yes?" He asked, noticing my stare without turning his head.

I quickly snapped my eyes back to the front, blushing that I had been found out so promptly.

"Never mind." I hurriedly said back, and I was grateful that he didn't question me on it.

We walked down the hall, traveling back to the giant door that led to the class of 1-A. Standing there in front of it, I heard the students moving around inside. They were being as rowdy as ever despite the latest course of events. Aizawa reached for the handle and I opened my mouth, uttering two single words so quiet that they might as well have been a whisper, but there in that silent hall they were the loudest sound to be heard.

"Thank you." I said sincerely to him.

Aizawa's hand paused on the door, and I saw him give the tiniest of nods as he acknowledged my gratitude. There was nothing more that needed to be said between us. It was enough for now.

In one fluid motion Aizawa grasped the handle and flung the door open, entering with me by his side to face down the wild teens that were class 1-A.

Aizawa didn't leave my side for the rest of the day as he curled up in the corner of the classroom nearest to me, silently napping in his over-sized yellow sleeping bag. He didn't have to be there as he was not the one currently teaching and he undoubtedly had more important things to be doing with everything going on, but I knew he was there for my benefit alone. I drew comfort and strength from his steady presence, and my dark inner thoughts did not surface again. No one bothered to question Aizawa's chosen napping place. Not the students or the other teachers as they continued the day's lesson plans, carrying on despite the security breach. I gathered that Aizawa's established reputation also extended to the fact that he chose to sleep in the most random places at the most random of times, and no one batted an eye at this. I could learn a thing or two from him on this subject going forward.

Only when the school day had finally drawn to a close did Aizawa rise from his spot to take the podium, concluding the day's teachings before the students could pack up and leave. I was thankful that the day had come to an end without any further surprises. There was a switch in the class representative position, but that was hardly climatic or startling. Midoriya nominated Iida to take his place as the class representative due to Iida's precise leadership skills that he had apparently displayed in the chaos of the security breach. I caught snippets here and there of what happened - largely something about an 'Emergency Exit Iida', whatever that meant. Yet, if Midoriya was vouching for him, then the rest of the class supported him in this decision with little to no question. I could already see the nervous energy leaving Midoriya's body when the leadership role was passed from him and over to Iida. Yaoyorozu, however, was a bit put out considering she had received more votes than Iida to begin with. But in the end everything worked out. The students were confident in their decision of their change of leaders as they filed out and left to head back home for the day.

With the final student gone, I gave out a groan, stretching and pushing away from the suffocating desk to rejoin Aizawa at the podium. He gathered his papers and stuffed them under his arm, lifting his head to me when I stopped at his side. Since he had tethered himself to my side all afternoon, I was sure that he had somewhere important to be now that I was freed from my lessons. Whether or not I could join him wherever that place was, was another matter entirely. I held no reservations about my status here, and I wasn't expecting to be included into the staff meetings, especially when it concerned security matters. But Aizawa had been by my side all that afternoon, so I would return the kindness and wait for him to do whatever he needed to do - no matter how long that was. We still had plenty of time before it was time to head back to his place and I could get dinner started.

Aizawa carefully took stock of my face out of the corner of his eye, silently gauging my mental state. It had been hours since my panic attack, and I honestly felt fine. Tired, but fine. I wasn't going to collapse again. Whatever he saw in my face, he came to the same conclusion as he turned to face me fully.

"Due to today's incident I'll be staying on campus tonight. All the staff who live on school grounds have been asked to keep an eye out until the gate can be restored." He explained.

I knew what he meant to say but didn't. It meant that Aizawa couldn't leave and get the ingredients for tonight, and I wouldn't be able to cook dinner. But my wants and desires are hardly important when it comes to the safety of the school and Aizawa's obligations - I understood that. Sure, I was disappointed, but I was not upset. I would make do, and there would be plenty of other nights when I could cook again. Though, I was appreciative that Aizawa's first thought was one that was centered around what I considered to be important even if it wasn't in the grand scheme of things. It only further demonstrated to me just how attentive he was being towards me.

I bobbed my head to show that I understood everything, lowering my eyes to his hands as he stuffed them into his pockets. I didn't catch the way Aizawa's lips dipped down into a frown or the solemn tenderness that floated in his eyes when he saw my face slightly falter. Aizawa hurriedly snapped his gaze down to the floor, burying the lower half of his face in the confines of his scarf when I lifted my eyes back up to his. I watched him curiously as he rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes growing distant as a thought formed there. After a moment he released a heavy sigh and paused with his hand still clasping the back of his neck, lifting his gaze to meet my mine.

"Go get what you need for tonight from the school's cafeteria food stores. I'll clear it with Principal Nezu."

"Really? Is that okay?" I perked up, a bit hesitant at first at the prospect of potentially swiping food from the school. But hey, if he was offering, I was up for it.

"Yes, now go. I'll come find you once I'm done talking with him. I need to be brought up to speed on what they found at the gate anyways."

"All right. I'll catch up with you later." I sent him a wide smile and he spun away quickly, exiting the classroom without a backwards glance. Must have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that I saw a hint of red on his cheeks before he strode away.

I walked out after him, closing the door to the classroom behind me and making my way down the long hall. There were no students to be had as after school activities had been canceled for obvious reasons. The building had fallen quiet, but I hardly noticed. I only had one thing on my mind at the moment, and that was acquiring what I needed to make dinner. Before I knew it I was at the cafeteria. My feet had led me directly there without me needing to think about it. I was getting the layout of the school building down pretty quick - well, at least the important places. Everything else was inconsequential.

I looked around for the staff entrance to the kitchen that lay behind the many food stalls and spotted it off in a corner. As I opened the door, it barely crossed my mind that someone could still be inside. Upon entering I was too caught up in the vision of the state of the art kitchen that lay before me to immediately recognize the faculty member wiping down the stainless steel countertops. The glittering appliances and myriad of cookware had me speechless. Oh, what I would give to have access to this kind of facility on a day in and day out basis. I was drooling at the thought of what I could create if I had every tool imaginable at my fingertips that was within this place. I would never leave.

"Ah, you must be Eve, the new student-teacher." Lunch Rush spoke up, immediately snapping me out of my reverie as I focused on him.

I nodded, my voice caught in my throat both at my embarrassment for not immediately noticing him, and for my shyness that I hadn't met this staff member yet. I had heard of him, but never actually been introduced.

"I just got a call from Principal Nezu saying that you were on your way, and that you were looking for some ingredients to cook something for tonight."

"Yes, I hope you don't mind." I found my voice while my eyes started to trail back to all the glistening tools. Focus, Eve. Focus. Food first.

"Not at all! Always willing to help out a fellow food connoisseur. Now tell me what you'll be needing for tonight."

I rapidly listed off the ingredient list and watched as Lunch Rush opened the industrial refrigerators, taking out the refrigerated items to add to the spotless countertops along with the pasta and spices I would be needing. I hadn't completely gone through the cabinets in Aizawa's kitchen, so I didn't have a full list of what he had on hand in my head, but I wasn't chancing it. I was taking everything with me. Tonight's dinner depended on it.

"Fettuccine Alfredo, right?" Lunch Rush commented as he retrieved the last item, placing all of them in a bag for me to take back.

"Yes!" I said excitedly. I could feel myself positively grinning, my eyes sparkling that someone else knew what I was making just from the ingredients alone. There was a growing possibility that I would be sneaking back here just to exchange recipes with the Lunch Hero at a later date.

"Interesting choice." Lunch Rush remarked to me. "I don't get too many western inspired meal requests here."

I blinked at this comment. While it was true that I did tend to lean towards that culinary sector, I hadn't really thought that my tastes were strange or out of the ordinary. There were a lot of things about me that just came out of thin air from the recesses of my mind, floating to the surface and I didn't question where they came from or how they got there. My culinary tastes were a small part of that, and my 'questionably acquired knowledge' - as Aizawa had put it the other day - of mathematics and English was another. They were innate to my being, but I assumed that everyone had something like this within themselves, so I didn't think too deeply about it.

"Well, we'll see how it turns out. It's been a while since I've made this recipe." I chuckled nervously back, edging around his comment.

"I'm sure it'll be fine! Happy cooking!" Lunch Rush threw me a thumbs up, handing over the bag.

I thanked him and left before I could go back to drooling over all those beautiful cooking instruments. I had perishable goods with me now that I needed to take back. Turning the corner, I nearly bumped into Aizawa as he stood there waiting for me.

"Got everything you need?" He asked, looking down at the bag laden in my hands.

"Yep! Let's head home." I nodded, smiling.

His eyes flashed up to mine as I finished, and I frowned at the sudden heavy gaze.

"What?"

"It's nothing." He turned away from me and I thought I caught a glimpse of a smile on his lips before it was obscured behind his cloth bindings. "Let's go home. I'm looking forward to dinner tonight."

"Good, cause I'm starving." I stated as I began to walk with him back to the teachers' transportation lift.

"Heh. When are you not hungry?" He teased.

"I make no apologies for my stomach. It wants what it wants. I am merely a slave to it." I said back, twisting my hands behind me to let the bag hit my legs with each step. The weight of the ingredients inside sent a ripple of pleasure through me. To me it meant that I would be eating soon, and I couldn't wait for Aizawa to taste what else I could make. I was determined to make those instant microwave meals of his a thing of the past.

Aizawa gave out a small smirk as he walked next to me, his eyes taking on a softer tone.

"Are you always a slave your body?" He asked.

"Isn't everyone?" I twisted back to him as I opened the door to the storage closet that housed the secret elevator.

He made a low hum in reply, and I wasn't sure if he was agreeing or just thinking. Perhaps it was a little bit of both.

I stepped inside the storage space and Aizawa closed the door quietly behind him as he followed me in. Taking a hand from his pocket, he flicked the light switch on the wall and the floor gave a small shudder as the elevator rose up from the tile. I noted this little tidbit for later use as we passed into the lift. Turning back to face the front, the translucent doors softly closed and the elevator descended back into the floor to take us home.

It was only about an hour later when I was standing in Aizawa's kitchen, lingering over several pots on the stove while Aizawa sat in the living room. He had the tv on, but was largely ignoring it in favor of the paperwork in front of him. He had changed out of his hero costume the moment we got home, opting for more comfortable clothes while I had made a beeline straight to the kitchen to get started. It was around this time when I heard the front door opening and closing, and I turned my head when I recognized Present Mic's voice calling out from the entryway as he let himself inside.

"Yo! What smells so good in here, man? Did you get take out-" Mic stopped as he turned the corner to the kitchen, spotting me by the stove.

"SHE COOKS TOO!" Mic said loudly as he stood agape in the entrance to the kitchen. He was holding a full pack of beer in his hands, and I was worried that he would forget it and let go with the way he was stunned into silence. His long blonde hair had been let down from its typical updo with some of it tied back behind his head. I noticed that his hero costume was gone and he had changed into a pair of white pants accompanied by a maroon shirt while a dark leather jacket covered his slim torso. Several pieces of jewelry adorned his wrists and neck to glitter in the light to finish off the attire. This was an entirely new Present Mic that I hadn't seen before. I certainly couldn't call him Mr. Cockatoo anymore now that I had seen him like this.

He and I stood there observing the other, each not moving or speaking.

"I invited Mic over to join us." Aizawa spoke up in the silence as he watched us both from over the back of the couch.

"Hi." I was the first to speak, but Mic didn't move. This was getting awkward.

"Can I take that?" I nodded at the pack in his hands. I didn't really want it to crash and spill all over the floor, and make this situation even more awkward.

"What? Oh, yeah. Thanks." He tore a can from the pack and handed the rest over to me. I took it from him and placed it with the others in the fridge. Aizawa had already relieved a few cans from the fridge earlier for himself, chugging them back like they were water as he addressed the paperwork scattered across the coffee table. It looked like he was trying to distract himself from something, but I didn't know what that was.

"Do you need any help?" Mic asked as he hovered in the kitchen, glancing between me and Eraserhead.

"Don't bother, Hizashi." Aizawa called out, as he turned back to the work in front of him. "She won't take it. She chased me out earlier when I tried."

"That's because this kitchen is too small for two people." I retorted back.

"It was fine last night." Aizawa huffed.

"SAY WHAT NOW?!" Mic cried out loudly, nearly spitting out his beer when he took a sip.

"Just get out of the kitchen, Hizashi." Aizawa growled irritably, lifting a hand to idly wave him over.

Mic gave me a hesitant look and I reassured him with a nod that I honestly didn't need any help. Dinner was almost ready anyways.

"When were you going to tell me about this, bro?" Mic said in a hushed tone as he sat down on the couch next to Aizawa.

"I wasn't." Aizawa said, finishing off one beer and opening another.

"That's cold, man. Ice cold. I thought we shared everything."

"No we don't."

"That hurts." Mic grimaced, but wasn't put off. "So why did you invite me over here anyways? Was it just to gloat that you now have a live-in cook in your house?"

Aizawa tilted his head, studying his friend. "You said you liked Italian food."

"That was like three years ago." Mic stated in a grumble.

"If you don't want to eat, you can leave." Aizawa suggested to him.

"No, dude. I'm staying." Mic said, settling back against the couch and laying his arm across its back to hang freely down. "Not about to turn down a free meal."

"Hmm." Aizawa murmured, turning back to the papers. He lowered his voice, his tone turning to a more serious note. "Were you able to find out anything else from the police?"

I may have been in the kitchen, but I could still hear them over the noise of the tv as I drained the pasta over the sink. I strained my ears, curious for more information on what happened today. Aizawa had said that it had been the media that had illegally entered the campus, but it was never discovered how they were able to accomplish such a feat.

"Not a thing." Mic grumbled in reply. "The gate was trashed completely, and Nezu is having it repaired now. I don't think any of those vermin that got in could have done it on their own. Someone else must have opened the door for them, and the police are still trying to figure out who. The school's security measures are going to need to be upgraded if you ask me." Mic drew quiet, lowering his voice even further. "You know about the call that Nezu got from the HPSC? They were asking about her."

"I know. I was there when he got it. He and I assured them that she had nothing to do with this. She's had no contact with the outside world and was with me when the alarms went off."

"Still...they're fixated on her. If word gets back to them of any slip up, they'll -"

"That's not going to happen." Aizawa flatly stated, cutting off his friend.

"I agree with you, man, but I'm just saying that they're keeping a very close watch."

"They can watch all they like. They're not going to find any reason to act." There was such protectiveness in Aizawa's voice as he said this.

They were talking about me. That was plain enough. So the HPSC hadn't forgotten about me after all. I did wonder when they would rear their ugly heads again. I guess I had left a lasting impression if they were still watching me even after all the security measures that been taken to make sure I couldn't use my quirk. And I'm sure possessing the president of the HPSC did me no favors either. Damn my luck when I had picked her that night.

Diving into the subtext of Aizawa's and Mic's conversation; however, it didn't take a genius to figure that one out. If the HPSC thought I was acting suspicious or untrustworthy, I would be thrown back into prison immediately. This was not new information to me. What was new was that they thought I had something to do with today's security breach. As if. I was with Aizawa constantly, and even when I wasn't I had this collar on for them to always know where I was. I posed no danger to anyone in this place. The HPSC was being overly paranoid in my opinion. But listening to the way Aizawa was talking, it gave me some comfort to know that he was in my corner when it came to those government officials. All Might had said that I wasn't alone anymore, and I didn't think he quite had Aizawa in mind when he said that, but it was true nonetheless. Aizawa was protecting me, and it felt nice that someone else was looking out for me. I didn't know exactly why he was doing it in the first place, but still - it was nice.

I left them to their continued back and forth mutterings as I returned to the stove. If it was important enough, I trusted that Aizawa would tell me at some point. And if it wasn't, there was no use worrying about it. I had enough to think about as is. But dinner came first at that particular moment, and one cannot think on an empty stomach.

Tossing the drained pasta into the stock pot, I turned and coated it in the simmering alfredo mixture, adding in the cooked chicken pieces as a final touch. Once all the contents had been thoroughly mixed together, I went to the upper cabinets in Aizawa's kitchen to retrieve three plates. Scooping out the individual portions onto the dinnerware, I carried them over to the table in the kitchen. Laying the last plate down, I studied my handiwork with a certain level of satisfaction. Tonight was going to be delicious - something on a far different level than what I had made last night. I just hoped that Aizawa and Mic would enjoy it too. I had no idea what they liked or disliked, and I should probably ask what their preferences were before I tried cooking for either of them again. But I would leave that issue for tomorrow. It was time to eat.

"Dinner's ready." I called out to the duo, and they went silent, glancing at me from over the back of the couch and seeing the readied plates on the table.

"Yeah! Let's eat!" Mic leapt from the sofa and rapidly dragged out a seat at the table. Aizawa was a bit slower to follow, taking his usual spot at the kitchen table as I sat down with them.

"Thanks for the meal." They said together before digging in. I watched them take their first bites, seeing the flavor cross their tongues that made their eyes grow wide. A look of pure pleasure rose on Mic's face as the food slid down his throat. Aizawa face was less obvious as he took his first bites, but I was starting to pick up on his more subtle expressions and saw that he too was pleased with what I had made. I released a silent sigh of relief that the meal had been a success.

"Holy shit, Ghosty." Mic moaned out, rapidly diving into the rest of his meal with reckless abandon. He wasn't holding anything back, and I was pleased that he was enjoying it. Though, it was really Aizawa who I had cooked for in the first place. It was his opinion that mattered more to me, but he was staying quiet as he twirled his fork around, gathering and slurping down the long pieces of pasta.

Mic paused in his ravenous eating, peering at me over the rims of his glasses. "I'm coming over here every night if you're going to be cooking like this."

Aizawa stiffened in his seat. "Like hell you are. Eat at your own place." He growled out as his face darkened at the prospect of his quiet evenings being invaded.

"But there's nothing like this at my place, man." Mic pleaded with him, leaning in Aizawa's personal space. Aizawa shoved a hand into Mic's face to force him back, glowering a bit that Mic had interrupted him from his food.

"Not my problem." He stated coldly.

"Have a heart, bro! Don't keep something like this all to yourself!" Mic struggled against the force of Aizawa's hand, trying desperately to get closer in an attempt to make Aizawa give in. But Aizawa was holding his ground, keeping Present Mic at bay with a hand while he grew increasingly irritated with his friend's persistence. I glanced between the pair, thinking quickly.

"I could give you the recipe so you can make it yourself." I offered quietly, trying to placate the atmosphere that had come over the kitchen. They both stiffened, remembering that I was sitting there too and was witnessing their childish antics.

"See, the thing is," Mic returned into his side of the table, suddenly remembering his manners, "I can't cook to save my life, just like Aizawa here. Give me a recipe to follow and I will most likely burn down my flat from just turning on the stove. So thanks for offering, but for the sake of my flat and all my possessions in it, I would much rather leave the cooking to someone more capable - someone like you."

"In other words, Present Mic is trying to mooch off your cooking skills." Aizawa stated to me.

"Hey, hey, hey! I am not a mooch! What about you, huh? If anything, you're the one taking advantage of this sweet deal you have going on here and making Eve cook for you, Mr. I Drink My Meals."

"Eve offered to take over cooking duties, and I accepted. I don't see how I'm the one taking advantage of the situation."

"Don't give me that!" Mic turned towards me. "What did he do that made you take on cooking duties for him?"

I quickly glanced over to the fridge and back to Mic, not sure if I should really answer that question or not.

"Come on! You can tell me." Mic urged. "What did he force you to eat last night? I bet it was something awful."

"I didn't force her to eat anything. I just burned last night's dinner. That's it." Aizawa spoke up, saving me from having to answer the loaded question.

"Since when do you cook?" Mic looked at Aizawa in startled confusion.

"Don't act so surprised." Aizawa glowered. "Unlike you, I at least know how to use the stove."

"Didn't you just say that you burned the food?" Mic smirked, earning him a tick on Aizawa's forehead in irritation. Mic tilted his head back towards me. "I can see now why you would want take over making dinners if this one here is going to be burning dinner constantly. You have my deepest sympathies."

"Watch it." Aizama grumbled in warning beside him.

"I really don't mind." I spoke up, replying to Mic. "I like to cook. And last night wasn't as bad as you think it was. It actually turned out pretty good."

"Really? What did this guy make?"

"It's not what I made. What Eve's not telling you is that she managed to salvage my burned cooking and somehow turned it into something good." Aizawa clarified.

"Did she now?" Mic raised his eyes at me in amazement, studying me for a moment behind his spectacles. "Got any other hidden skills tucked away over there, Ghosty?"

I flashed my eyes down to my plate, occupying myself with loading another portion onto my fork.

"Nope." I hastily replied back.

"Smooth, Eve. Real smooth. That's not acting suspicious at all." I internally scolded myself.

I had one more secret in my arsenal - one that would rain an inquisition down upon my head if they ever found out about that. Hopefully I would never need to use it - at least not while they were watching. I brought my fork to my mouth, and lifted my face back to the pair. Both of them were silently watching me and I knew that they had caught on that I was hiding something. Just when I thought I would crumble under their stares and be forced to come up with a convincing lie, Mic spoke up and returned back to the plate in front of him.

"Well, in any case, what you've made here is fucking delicious. I have half a mind to invite you to stay with me at my place just so you can come cook for me instead. Whatever ingredients you need, I'll go buy them for you if it means I can eat like this every night. And besides, I think you'll find my place to be way bigger and more comfortable than Aizawa's. So what do you say? Want to come live with me?"

"You don't live on campus, Hizashi." Aizawa was quick to remind him, and I sensed the underlying threat to his voice.

"I'm sure arrangements can be made."

Aizawa sent his friend a dark glare out of the corner of his eye. They were hooded and filled with ominous warning as Mic silently challenged him in return. While I was deeply flattered that Mic felt comfortable enough to share his space with me, it just didn't feel right. Mic had been kind to me since day one, yet I didn't feel the need to spring at his invitation even if he could swing to get me off the school grounds. I had just managed to carve out a place for me right here, and I didn't want to start over with someone new. It was a tentative position, sure, but there was something steadily forming between Aizawa and I that made me want to stick around and find out exactly what that something was.

"Thanks for the offer, Mic." I glanced over at Aizawa and his eyes softened when they met mine, but I also saw a tinge of apprehension swirling within them as he waited for me to finish. I tore my gaze from him and turned back to Mic, continuing. "But I think I'm okay right here. If you're ever hungry, I can always cook something up for you. I'm sure Aizawa wouldn't mind that from time to time."

"Well that's certainly is a let down. But, if you're sure about staying here." Mic sighed, looking a bit bummed out by the rejection. He twisted his face towards his friend, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "You are a lucky bastard, Aizawa. I hope you know that."

"Hmm." Aizawa didn't confirm or deny that statement and simply continued to eat his pasta quietly in front of him. I notice a trace of contentment wash over his features, and I realized that he was happy that I wanted to stay here - here with him. And seeing him happy did funny things to my heart that I couldn't quite explain.

Though, honestly Aizawa didn't need to be concerned in the first place. I had no plans to leave him anytime soon.

---

Hello, my lovelies! You still with me? Excellent. This chapter was a long one, so I apologize for the late update and I thank you for your patience.

I recently read up on the five languages of love, and Eve is squarely in the "Acts of Service" category with her desire to feed those who she cares about. I'll be using this as a reoccurring theme going forward in this story since there isn't anything quite as wholesome as cooking in my opinion. It feeds the body and soul when done right. And if Eve's love language is cooking, it does make you wonder what Aizawa's love language is. I'll leave that for you as food for thought. :P

And now a message to my reviewers. I love you guys. Just when I'm getting exhausted from typing out this story or stressing out over the wording, somehow you guys know and send me a kind review to spur me forward. Seeing your reviews come in gives me the motivation to continue chipping away at this story every night. So thank you for your messages of support and relaying to me just how much you're enjoying this tale. I'm glad that this story has developed a steady following that continues to grow everyday.

Up next is the battle at the USJ! It's time for Ghost to break free ;)