This was, as well, mostly written out and done and I'm finally posting it. Not beta read, and it's just a scene that wormed its way into my head so I wrote it out lol

Enjoy!

Pt 2: Class B Has Some Issues, Too

Switching shifts in the dorms wasn't uncommon. Sometimes one of the staff were called off on a patrol or a mission last minute. Sometimes it was personal. But always, someone else was called in to cover in those scenarios. Rarely, they had to call in other Pros, if multiple staff were called off. Tonight, Aizawa was scheduled to flip with Kan. He didn't completely agree with it, but switching up who watched which dorm did seem to be helping students get more and more comfortable with the rest of the staff. So, really, he couldn't complain that much.

The class had already had dinner and were readying themselves to turn in for the night. He started on his rounds after setting his phone charger up next to the bed. Kan had even laid out the pillow covers that Aizawa had remarked, once, he liked the best. Aizawa didn't care who said what: Kan was a romantic. Then again, Aizawa had left his favorite snacks in the pantry at his own apartment, so. One for one, he supposed.

Aizawa closed the door behind him. The hall lights were off at this point, so he was free to move around in the dark. He slid the goggles over his eyes, hoping to cover a bit of the glow if he came across anything. He found the floor below him also without lights. A quick peek into the doors showed him that every student on this floor was in bed. As he moved further down however, he found he had to turn off bedroom lights, deposit kids in their beds, and flip on at least two nightlights. A few of the boys were missing from their rooms, he noted.

The panic was always prevalent when students weren't in their rooms. It only escalated when he didn't find students bunking together in other rooms, meaning the missing students were missing or they were in the lowest level in the common room or kitchen areas. He had to remind himself to keep calm until he could at least confirm that they weren't in the dorm building.

The only other boy who was still awake (and in their room) was Shihai. Aizawa found him bent over his desk, head in his arms, and pretending to be asleep with just the desk lamp on. If it weren't for Aizawa making it a point to open the door to check on the students, he wouldn't have known that the desk lamp was even on. He would easily be fooled into thinking that Shihai was actually asleep if it weren't for the slightly stilted breathing he could see in his back. Aizawa bit back a disappointed groan.

"Shihai."

The boy didn't move and Aizawa sighed. He leaned on the doorframe, hands in his pockets. Shihai was committed to his bit, though, because he remained in his seat. Aizawa was tempted to try carrying him to bed to get a reaction, but if the kid was this determined at the ruse, and he didn't "wake" then Aizawa would showcase a softness he wasn't ready to pass further onto the Class B kids just yet when it would be for a ruse.

"Shihai, if you don't get ready for bed and sleep, you're going to be running five laps tomorrow before breakfast, do you understand?" Aizawa asks.

That finally got Shihai to react, the boy sighing heavily and turning to him with pleading eyes. "Sensei—"

"If the next words out of your mouth are not "yes, sensei", then don't speak," Aizawa says calmly. Shihai's mouth snapped shut. "Get some sleep. You have class Monday but, believe it or not, poor sleep on a Saturday night can still affect your performance. Got it?"

"…Yes, sensei."

"Good. If you're still awake when I do my second round, you're running five laps tonight."

"Yes, sensei!"

Aizawa shut his door behind him. Those boys aside, when he checked on them, the girls were all asleep save for one. He'd come across Shiozaki still awake and studying as well. It appeared his class was not the only one with a few enthusiastic readers.

"Shiozaki," he says gently. The girl turned to him in surprise, quickly slamming her book shut, and wincing at the noise.

"Apologies, sensei," she says meekly. "I'll go to sleep."

"If you don't, you'll run five laps tomorrow," he says evenly. Shiozaki nodded her understanding, bidding him a good night. He hesitated in the doorway, suddenly remembering Yamada likening her to an assassin as she moved silently. She paused after packing her school supplies up and looked at him curiously.

"Sensei, is there something else?" she asks.

"Use your stealth more in training," he says. She blinked at him, a little surprised. "I don't believe you need to remain as stationary as you do."

With that he shut her door and continued on. No other girls were awake at this hour, leaving him free to check the kitchen and common room next. He was less surprised to find blonde and silver-haired heads at the couch. It at least confirmed to him that no students were missing, which helped his anxiety tremendously. At least, he thought, he wasn't having nearly as hard of a time as Kan might be with finding roughly a third of the class still awake, more than likely.

He'd left him a whole notepad of possible scenarios he'd come across and a small reminder to call him if need be. Mostly it had concerned the "bed-time" loopholes. While Aizawa was certain that Kan could handle his class for one night, and he knew he could trust Kan to be good to his class, he had perhaps over-emphasized some of the more… prevalent loopholes to the after dark dorm rules. He reminded himself that Kan was an understanding man who cared for all the students of UA, and he could handle anything the class threw at him…. Except maybe if they actually threw Dark Shadow at him to see what would happen.

Pushing that niggling worry aside, he regarded the two classmates sitting quietly on the couch, phones in hands.

"Are you both alright?" Aizawa asked. Both heads snap to him at the question. Monoma was first to move, putting his phone in his pocket and starting to stand.

"I'm fine, Sensei. I'll go to my room."

"I didn't say you had to," Aizawa is quick to respond, holding his hand up. Monoma was halfway up from his seat, stopping short, and regarding Aizawa curiously. Aizawa shrugged, returning his hands to his own pockets. "I'm not mad you're up past curfew. There's always a reason for it. I'm here as an ear if you want one."

Aizawa gave them a wave, moving towards the kitchen. Monoma landed himself back on the couch next to Testutetsu. He let out an almost inaudible huff of relief once he hit the cushion. The taller boy leaned down so they could whisper while Aizawa busied himself with the coffee machine. It was different than the last time he'd been there. He'd have to remember to ask Kan about that particular detail, but for now he was just glad that Kan had sprung for one of his favorite coffee maker brands as the replacement. He actually knew how to use this one. By the time he'd gotten his coffee mug and rounded the counters to reenter the common room, Tetsutetsu was turning towards him, looking more than a little conflicted, which put Aizawa on edge immediately.

"Aizawa-sensei, is Class A better than us?" he asks. Aizawa paused, blinked, took a long sip, and regarded both boys.

"No," he says after a beat. "Why do you ask?"

The question seems to throw both boys off. They exchange a look and then turn their attention back on him, full of scrutiny. Figured. He expected it from Monoma, but Tetsutetsu was a bit of a surprise.

"They've got more experience," Tetsutetsu began.

"And it's gone to their heads…" Monoma mumbled, turning to the side.

Aizawa felt his fist twitch in his pocket. But no, he wasn't going to get mad at the kid. Watching him over the course of the year he had picked up on a massive superiority complex, and while he wasn't aware of why it had manifested, he was definitely reminding Kan that Monoma had to pick up sessions with Inui to handle that before he went Pro. The kid, because they were all still kids, he had to remind himself, needed not an angry teacher but an empathetic one.

"They've got experience against actual villains, yes," Aizawa admits. "But that's not the bulk of hero work. It's mostly paperwork. You're all more likely to deal with robberies, disaster relief, and clean up. My class will likely need to find differing outlets. They're going to get antsy. Your class will adapt more readily to more aspects of hero work."

Monoma turned back to him, scrutinizing again. Not a good enough answer, then? That was fine. He didn't have to believe him, even if that was preferred. Aizawa took another gulp of his drink, mulling over his next words.

"Monoma… Tetsutetsu… you're both training to be heroes, correct?"

"Of course."

"Yes, sensei."

"Have you had to, in your basic curriculum, aside from the summer camp and internships," Aizawa began, catching Monoma's flinch, but powering through, "had to face legitimate villains?"

"No, sensei," both said slowly.

"And that is the primary distinction," Aizawa says. He leaned on the empty side of the couch laxly. "You experienced one traumatic event. Class A is, for all intents and purposes, highly traumatized by multiple events. You kids should never have had to deal with any of that so soon into your training and it's clearly affecting all of you. So, no, my class, while they arguably have more experience, are not more suited to hero work than you are. Their nerves are completely shot. I'd argue they need to work harder to be accustomed to hero work in the long run. To put it simply: they were not given the benefit of a slow introduction to the danger of hero work."

Aizawa finished his mug, leaving to rinse it quickly before he returned, finding both boys finishing a hushed conversation in his absence. Monoma turned to him this time, Tetsutetsu bowing to him before heading up the stairs. It was the calmest he'd ever seen the boy, and that was a little concerning. He'd have to ask Kan about that later, wouldn't he?

He turned his attention back to Monoma since he seemed to be staying.

"Yes, Monoma?"

"You really think this class can be just as good as Class A?" he asks bluntly. He must be tired, because Aizawa had expected more eloquence from the kid. He usually, aside from berating his students, was more careful with his words.

"Monoma, I don't think Class B is up to par, I know your class is up to par. My question is why you don't see it," Aizawa answered bluntly. He held his hand up when Monoma looked like he was going to retort. "You have an odd obsession against my class. That attitude is going to end up holding you back much like how Katsuki's will hold him back if neither of you temper it."

Monoma blinked at him a moment. Aizawa ran through his words, wondering what had caused the pause, and then his stomach plummeted. Katsuki. He'd said Katsuki. God damn it all.

"The point of the matter is," Aizawa began, rounding the couch to sit on the arm rest, "You don't need to feel threatened."

"I'm not threatened."

"Then stop acting like it."

Monoma snapped his mouth shut, looking away harshly. Aizawa pursed his lips. He may have pushed a bit too hard just then. He could tell there was more to the superiority complex than just what he felt towards Class A. This behavior had been learned a long time ago. It wasn't Aizawa's place to explore that, however. That was Inui's territory. Instead, he had inklings, and one inkling was one he could share with the boy.

"Monoma, let me ask you something."

"Of course, sensei."

The stilted response was not something Aizawa liked to hear. He made a note not to let Monoma go to bed until he was certain he wouldn't be stewing in the wrong thoughts before sleep took hold if he could help it. Aizawa leveled his stare at the boy.

"Do you think my Quirk is villainous?"

Monoma actually flinched at the question, leaning away. "What? No, of course not, sensei!"

"Aizawa is fine," Aizawa says, raising a placating hand. Monoma's mouth shut again, but with much less force than before. Aizawa looked up and out the window rather than at the kid's face. "Your Quirk, and a few of Class A's Quirks, certainly look villainous, don't you think?"

"No," Monoma says immediately. Aizawa was already shaking his head.

"I know they aren't, Monoma. I'm not saying they are; I'm saying they might look like a Quirk people would call villainous. Because I have some experience myself with people calling my Quirk villainous," Aizawa admits.

Monoma was stuck staring at him. Aizawa flicked his gaze to him, locking eyes.

"No matter what anyone says about how useful your Quirk is, or what it appears to be best suited for, it's all about how you use it. And you're using it for heroism. That's what matters. The rivalry between our classes is meant to push you to try harder, not because you're meant to wish for the downfall of the opposite class, but because you're meant to want to hold your ground with them."

Monoma nodded, but remained silent. Aizawa patted his shoulder, ignoring the surprised jump form Monoma when he did, and stood to stretch.

"Stay as long as you need to," he began, heading for the stairs. "Just don't fall asleep down here, it's bad for your back and it's not as comfortable as a real bed. If you need anything, I'm upstairs."

"…Thank you, sensei."

Aizawa hummed and waved, disappearing up the stairs. He hadn't thought he'd be giving second rate therapy tonight, but he wasn't going to brush off a students' concerns, either. He was halted halfway up the stairs by Tetsutetsu lingering in the stairwell. He was shifting his weight on either heel, avoiding Aizawa's eyes, but blocking the way up. Aizawa blinked at him a moment before taking the given opportunity to speak first.

"Yes, Tetsutetsu?"

"I just… wanted to thank you properly."

"Don't worry about it," Aizawa assured him. He slipped past him, ruffling his hair on his way. "Get sleep. Kan will have my ass if even one of you is exhausted tomorrow."

"Shouldn't Monoma—"

"He knows when to come up, he's fine."

Aizawa left him with that, collapsing onto the apartment bed when he reached it, wondering if he should ask Inui about a more regularly scheduled check-in with the students. He'd have to bring it up with Kan tomorrow, but for now, he just wanted to be sure that they knew the hand was there to take.