"About time, kid."

"Good morning, Toshi-nii!"

Shinso felt his face gradually flush as he ran his hands through the monstrosity that was his bed hair. He smoothed his palms down the wrinkles of his matching grey pajamas, trying his best to look even the slightest bit presentable. "Sorry. I overslept." He mumbled under his breath.

"It's fine. Go set the table."

Shinso blinked at the order, nodding wordlessly in reply. It sounded so offhanded that it almost seemed as if his presence in the underground hero's home was something… natural. It was as if he's always been here all along. He shook his head as he moved awkwardly around the kitchen in search for utensils.

He chanced a glance back at the pair by the stove, watching as Aizawa-sensei carefully answered all of the little girl's questions, even allowing her to assist with the cooking every now and then.

"The chopsticks are in the cupboard on your right."

The sudden statement startled Shinso back into action. He hadn't realized he'd been staring that long, and that his mentor actually noticed despite having his back to him. The moment he finished the task, another instruction followed soon after.

"Go prepare the salad. Vegetables are in the fridge. Knives are in the drawer next to it. Chopping board is hanging by the rack."

Shinso acknowledged the command with a nod once again, opening the refrigerator to pull out some fresh vegetables. After setting everything up, he took a moment to reframe his mind. He would never admit it out loud, but he was absolutely useless in the kitchen. Back at home, they had devices that did most of the cooking, and it wasn't like he prepared any of his food.

Who the hell cut these up?! They look like shit!

Shinso narrowed his eyes at the memory of Bakugo complaining about his handiwork. Why on earth they had to do house chores at the dorms were beyond him! It wasn't like UA couldn't afford to hire more people. He was more than willing to pay extra for a chef and a cleaning staff. Having a gardener would be nice too. Their lawn could use some flowers.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Shinso paused from peeling the carrots to glance back at Aizawa-sensei, who was now standing right beside him. "Uh, you said to make the salad?"

"Yes, but at this rate we won't have anything left for the actual salad." Aizawa raised a thick portion of the carrot's skin, presenting it to the younger boy at eye level.

Shinso swallowed down the urge to argue. If he sliced them too thin, he always ended up cutting himself. Every cooking partner he's had at the dorms told him the exact same thing. So much so that he was so close to restocking their entire kitchen with automated appliances that would do all the manual labor for them.

"Here."

It took Shinso a moment to process what the hand reaching towards him meant. He passed over the knife and carrot immediately, watching the older man work while instructing him. He nodded at every detailed description, staring in awe at the quick and skillful demonstration.

"Now you do it."

Shinso nodded, taking a new carrot in his hand. The thunderous beating of his heart, and the slow build of anxiety in his chest reminded him so much of training. All he had to do was peel and slice up a damn vegetable, so why the hell was he so nervous? He swallowed down his nerves. He wanted to do this right.

Aizawa-sensei was silent all throughout, just like he always was whenever he asked him to repeat something. The same thoughts that plague his mind during training was running though his head. Was he doing something wrong? Did he follow the instructions right? Should he stop?

Aizawa tried his best to swallow down the laughter threatening to burst out of his chest. For someone so skilled at knife combat, Hitoshi was absolute shit in the kitchen. He watched the purple-haired boy chance a glance at him, no doubt waiting for feedback on the poorly cut up vegetable lying on the wooden board.

"You'll be on salad duty throughout your stay." Aizawa stated without room for argument. "Now let me see you slice up the cabbage."


Shinso placed the last of the dishes back to the cupboard, sighing out loud at how much work he's been made to do throughout the day. It definitely wasn't how he expected his Christmas break to pan out, but for some reason, despite being stuck on house duty, he didn't seem to mind it at all. He blinked. That was weird. He absolutely hated chores!

All they did all day was cook, eat and wash dishes, but he's never felt so… content. It was strange. He took a moment to look around the homey kitchen, feeling so familiar with it after just one day. Now he knew exactly where everything was.

"I put Eri to bed now."

Shinso snapped his head towards the door, taken off guard by his mentor's sudden presence. The older man moved so quietly all the time that it always gave him a mini heart attack.

"She said to wish you a Merry Christmas." Aizawa chuckled at the image of the little girl trying desperately to stay awake in time for Christmas Eve. He walked towards the refrigerator, grabbing a few cans out, tucking some of them under his arm. "What are you doing standing around here?" He raised a brow at the teen, popping open a can in one hand. "Don't tell me you're making a list of things to buy me again."

"Of course not." Shinso answered straightaway, knowing Aizawa-sensei didn't believe him for a second. Sure he was thinking of getting the underground hero a coffee maker, an automated multi-purpose slicer, a dishwasher, and maybe even an entire kitchen island… but it's not like he would do it. Yet.

"Toshi."

Aizawa-sensei's warning tone made him raise his arms up in surrender. "I'm not. I promise."

Aizawa sighed, knowing full well the kid didn't mean a word of it. Maybe if he gave him detention that would get the point across? He sighed. "Are you sleepy?"

Shinso shook his head. Oddly enough, despite having a full day of chores, he wasn't feeling as tired as he expected.

"Come join me for a bit then."

Shinso nodded, wordlessly following the older man as they made their way up the second floor, eventually stopping when they reached the balcony.

Aizawa dropped the cans onto the tiny glass table, pulling off the thick black fleece blanket over the chair to wrap it around his shoulders as he sat down. He clicked his tongue. "Kid, would you stop being so polite?" He jutted his chin towards the opposite chair, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the purple-haired boy standing in attention, waiting for permission to sit.

Shinso nodded again, pulling at an identical silver fleece blanket draped over the chair to keep warm. He sat down awkwardly, rubbing his palms against his thighs to combat the chill of the night. The clink of a can being placed on the side of the table right next to him made him look. He blinked. "Uh, sensei, you do know I'm underage right?"

Aizawa raised a brow, silently taking a sip out of the cold can of beer, only now realizing he should have warmed them up earlier. He moved the rest of them on his side of the table, tilting the one in his hand towards the lone can left on the opposite end. "It's yours if you want it, but that's all you get."

Shinso rolled his tongue in his mouth, trying his best to stop himself from grinning like an idiot. Eraserhead was actually offering him his first taste of alcohol! If this was some sort of dream, he would be monumentally pissed the moment he woke up.

"Thank you, sensei."

A noncommittal sound was all he got as a reply.

Shinso winced the moment his fingertips landed on the frozen aluminum. He knew it was stupid to drink something cold in this weather, but he might not get another a chance like this with Aizawa-sensei again. He pulled at the ring, taking a moment to sniff the contents of the can. It smelled pungent and strong, but something about its scent seemed clean. He took an experimental sip, unable to control the look of revulsion on his face.

Aizawa chuckled at the younger boy's expression. Just like that he single-handedly ruined alcohol for the kid. He grinned. Hitoshi was better off being a coffee snob after all. "Not quite what you imagined, huh?"

"This is…" Shinso stopped the insults threatening to spill out of his mouth. How on earth could anyone like something this disgustingly bitter? He placed the can back onto the table, wishing he had something he could wash it down with. The sight of a moving object headed straight for him made him reach out reflexively.

Tiny packets of gummy bears and chocolate were in his hands. He fought the urge to glare at the underground hero, who simply shrugged at him in return. He was treating him like a kid again.

"Brought them just in case you'd hate beer."

Shinso grumbled under his breath, but opened a piece of chocolate nonetheless. He needed something other than the aftertaste of beer in his mouth.

"So, how's the year been for you?"

Shinso glanced back at the unreadable expression on the older man's face. "Uh… It's been fine, I guess." He looked away. Was this some sort of year-end self-evaluation test? Or perhaps an inquisition for… for… well, for something.

"And the hero course? How are you adapting so far?"

"It's been challenging, but all in all, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Any issues with the lessons?"

"None that I can think of."

"How are things with your classmates, teachers?"

"Quite frankly… better than I expected."

Aizawa nodded at his protégé's quick and curt answers. The younger boy always responded as if every interaction was some sort of examination. Always careful with what to say – not wanting to give too much or divulge something incriminating. He sighed. It was the perfect disposition for someone who wanted to go pro, especially in the underground world, but not exactly the healthiest mindset for a teenage kid.

"And friends?"

"Huh?"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, reiterating the question clearly. "How's your relationship with your friends?"

"I…" Shinso furrowed his brows, not sure if it was some sort of trick question. "I don't have any."

Aizawa blinked at the unexpected answer, trying to decipher what it meant. He's seen Hitoshi with his former homeroom students several times. He was certain the purple-haired teen was good friends with a couple of them.

"Midoriya, Kaminari, Todoroki, Bakugo… Don't you get along with them?"

Shinso took a moment to just… look at his mentor. What on earth was he talking about? "I'm not friends with any of them."

"Why not?"

The question took Shinso off guard. Didn't he already explain himself before? "I'm not here to make friends."

Aizawa hummed at this. "And Monoma? I've seen you with him a couple of times. I ran into Amajiki a few weeks ago too, and he told me you guys keep in touch."

"Monoma just follows me around to piss me off." Shinso rolled his eyes. "Amajiki-sempai works at the hero agency who asked me to intern. Fat Gum just asks him to bring me along sometimes." For some weird reason, the blonde hero was convinced that he and Suneater got along really well. As for why, he had absolutely no idea. He would always order the shy hero to call him up whenever they would eat out.

"How about Tetsutetsu and Kendo? I saw you with them a couple of days ago."

"I… I might be interning for Miruko at the start of next year. She sent me an invite." Shinso scratched the back of his head. "They've been trying to get me to put in a good word for them." He sighed. He wasn't sure why the number five hero wanted him, out of everyone else. His quirk wasn't exactly the best at combat, nor was it straightforwardly strong. If anything, his type was the exact opposite of hers.

"Oh, congratulations. That's a pretty big deal."

"Sorry I haven't told you. I just learned about it a week ago and I wasn't sure what to make of it exactly. I was thinking of telling you next year before the deadline of intern applications."

"It's alright. Was that the only invite you got?"

"Fat Gum handed me another one, but I don't think we're a good fit." Shinso rubbed the back of his neck to hide his embarrassment. He thought that perhaps working under a hero with a completely different quirk type would help him figure out something different, but he was wrong. It only made him feel useless and out of place.

"So now you're doubting whether matching up with another offensive quirk type is a good idea?"

Shinso nodded wordlessly.

Aizawa folded his arms on his chest, trying to figure out why Usagiyama invited Hitoshi to intern under her. She was notorious for not wanting anything to do with training the future generation. So why take one in out of the blue? It didn't make any-

I'll expect your thanks in the next couple of days!

Aizawa closed his eyes the moment Nemuri's message flashed in his head. So this was what she meant. "Well, you still have some time left to decide. Don't worry about it too much for now."

Shinso nodded. "But if you were in my position, would you take it?"

"With All Might's retirement, Miruko is no doubt the strongest hero. Physically, at least. But not only that, she's the best at hand to hand combat as well. You'll be hard pressed to find a hero that's as mentally tough as her." Aizawa paused, eying the silent teenager still waiting for his definitive answer.

"If I were to be perfectly honest, among the current top ten heroes, I think a better fit for you would be Hawks, Best Jeanist, or Edgeshot. But it's not like you can't learn anything from Miruko. I sparred with her once, so I can attest that she's the real deal."

Shinso blinked at the unexpected piece of information. "You know Miruko?"

Hey! Hey, you! You're the one who erases quirks, right? Oi…kawa? Oh, Aizawa, right! Haha! Sorry, I'm bad with names! Anyway, I heard about you from Nemuri, so spar with me!

Aizawa nodded. He didn't know the bunny hero that well, but he wasn't particularly fond of her either. "She wanted to test her quirk against mine."

"So… She challenged you?" Shinso tried his best to keep his voice level, not wanting to show too much enthusiasm.

Aizawa hummed in reply.

"And?"

Aizawa raised an eyebrow, scoffing at the poorly veiled interest on the younger boy's face. "She won."

Shinso nodded stiffly, not expecting that conclusion at all. So Eraserhead lost to Miruko, huh? He fisted his hands on his thighs. Now he was interested.

Aizawa shook his head at the image of his protégé lost in his own thoughts. With that piece of information, he was sure Hitoshi's curiosity was piqued. He wouldn't be surprised if the teen actually went for Miruko's offer, despite having better ones. He sighed. If Nemuri was a genius at dirty tricks, Miruko was just plain… strong. Even with her quirk erased, and all her movements predicted, she could still send him flying.

"Hey kid…"

"Yes, sensei?" Shinso blinked at the pensive expression on the older man's face, not sure what it meant.

"You're really sure about this? The whole underground hero thing."

Shinso tilted his head back, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation. "Of course, sensei. I wouldn't be putting this much effort if I wasn't serious about it."

Aizawa nodded, taking a sip out of his beer, only to realize it was already empty. He opened a new can, allowing himself a couple of gulps before addressing his protégé once again. "It's… It's not going to be what you expect it to be, you know?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's no prestige with it. No fame. No accolades. No applause. It's a solitary job that thrives on secrecy and, more often than not, lies."

"I know that, sensei."

Aizawa shook his head, not quite finished with what he wanted to say. "Knowing is different from understanding, Toshi. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this because I don't think you can do it. You can. It's not even a question."

Shinso felt a swell of pride in his chest at the praise.

"It's just that…" If I could choose a life for you, this wouldn't be it, Aizawa stopped himself from saying. "I don't want you to go down this path just because you think it's the only one laid out for you. There are a lot of ways to become a hero, Toshi. I don't want you limiting yourself to this just because your quirk is a perfect fit for it."

"I'm not, sensei. I'm really not."

"And I don't want you gunning for it just because I did."

Shinso quieted down, not having an answer to that. He could deny it all he wanted, but Eraserhead was his model – his ideal. He never even thought he could be a hero until he found out about underground pros. Aizawa-sensei was exactly what he wanted to be in the future. The older man was… He was just it for him.

"I'm not saying this to discourage you, kid, alright? You are every bit deserving of what you have now. All I'm saying…"

Shinso turned his head back to glance at his mentor the moment a hand landed on his shoulder.

"What I want you to understand, kid, is that none of this is set in stone, alright? The last thing I want is for you to feel the pressure to live up to what you think I want you to be, or what you think people expect you to be. If, at any point, you feel like what you're doing isn't something that you want anymore, or that you've found something else you want to pursue… It's okay."

"What are you saying, sensei?" Shinso couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Do you think I would ever give up on being a hero?"

Aizawa shook his head. "Kid, you're not listening to me."

"Then what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm saying… As you live your life, your views transform. The things you hold dear change. Your priorities shift. And that's okay. You hear me, kid?"

Shinso felt the hold on his shoulder tighten, making him swallow down his arguments for the time being.

"Now, this doesn't mean I'm gonna let you quit the hero course." Aizawa snorted. "I'll drag your sorry ass back if that happens." He glared at his protégé, making the younger boy shake his head.

"What I'm talking about… is the future. Get it, kid? The moment you reach your goal. The day you achieve your dream. When you've finally become an underground hero and made a name for yourself. When people start spreading rumors and stories about you that could rival urban legends." Aizawa chuckled. He had a strong hunch the kid would leave a mark one way or another.

Shinso rolled his eyes at his mentor's exaggeration, but he would be lying if he said it didn't sound good to him, or that he wouldn't try to earn some sort of reputation.

"Then, all of a sudden, maybe one day in the future… you wake up and realize somehow, for some reason, it's not what you want anymore." Aizawa quieted down, taking a long sip out of his beer.

Shinso felt his lips part, taken off guard by his mentor's admission. Only the streetlights illuminated the balcony, casting a shadow against the underground hero's face, making him look weary and older than he actually was. The steady puffs of his breathing disintegrated slowly, wrapping around him in a strange melancholic way.

"I got tired of it, kid." Aizawa crushed the empty can of beer in his hand, chucking it onto the table before opening another one. "It was a hard life." He sighed. There was no point in sugarcoating his words. "Drugs. Cybercrime. Weapons trade. Human trafficking. Everything involving the black market. That's our world. Dipping your foot into the darkest side of humanity – that's what it means to be an underground hero."

Shinso stayed silent, not the least bit surprised by any of it. He knew exactly what was expected of underground heroes. Espionage was their forte. That meant heading into enemy territory with the goal of earning their trust, their secrets, and everything else that was needed to take the entire operation down. It could last for months, years, maybe even decades. The mortality rate for their line of work was high, and often covered up so as not to hinder the progress.

Underground heroes weren't honored in any way. Their achievements were kept secret – none of their service broadcasted or thanked. They don't get action figures, fan meets, endorsement projects, media appearances, and awards. Most of them going as far as being unlisted under the hero association to avoid detection. As far as society was concerned, they didn't exist, which was what they needed to be in order to get the job done.

"You could say I gave up." Aizawa shrugged, recalling the reaction of his old comrades when he told them he would become a professor at UA. Any kind of public exposure was a huge risk for an underground hero. His choice to work at the most famous and most prestigious hero school made it impossible for him to continue as one. It was career suicide.

"Back then, I was so certain of it… of what I wanted to become. So when I left, I wasn't exactly sure what the hell I was doing. All I knew was that…" Aizawa sighed, cradling the half empty can of beer between his hands, sniffing at the cold air. "I was tired. I was just… tired."

Aizawa-sensei was always so strong, so levelheaded, and so unshakable. Seeing him now – hunched against a chair, wrapped in an old fleece blanket, trying to fight the chill of the night as he drank one can of beer after another – made Shinso realize that he was also just… human. So unbelievably human.

"So listen to me, kid, when I tell you that… it's okay. Okay?" Aizawa tilted his head towards his protégé, not having the courage to look him in the eye. Perhaps it was the beer, or perhaps it was the dark cover of the night… Perhaps it was the spirit of the holidays, or perhaps he just… he just wanted to be completely honest for once.

"If… at any point in your life, you feel like… you're done. It's okay."

Shinso nodded, finally understanding what Aizawa-sensei wanted to say. "Thank you, sensei. I… I appreciate your words. I really do." It was reassuring to know that no matter what path in life he would end up taking, the older man would never take it against him – never judge him for it.

"You get it now?"

Shinso nodded resolutely. "I do."

"Good."

"It's okay too, sensei."

"Huh?"

Aizawa turned towards the younger boy, feeling his brows raise all the way up his forehead at the sight of warm purple eyes. "It's okay." He heard Hitoshi say once again.

"It's okay that you're done."

Aizawa swallowed down the lump in his throat, utterly speechless.

"Thank you for all your hard work, sensei."

Aizawa tore his eyes away from his student, glancing down at the can of beer in his hands. He didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry, but damn

Just how long had he been waiting to hear those words from someone?

"I'm not as cool as you thought I was, huh?" He chuckled, shaking his head at the entire thing. Here he was, the mentor of an unbelievably talented kid, and yet instead of being the dependable one, he was the one being cheered on.

Shinso snorted at the older man's poor attempt at humor, laughing alongside him as he attempted to take another sip of beer. He stuck his tongue out, scrunching his face in disgust which made the underground hero laugh even louder. He clicked his tongue, grinning at his mentor's trembling form.

"You'll always be cool to me, sensei."

The unexpected praise cut off Aizawa's laughter instantaneously. He coughed to hide his discomfort, rubbing at the back of his neck to soothe the awkwardness. He crossed his arms on his chest, scoffing at the younger boy who gazed at him undeterred. "Flattery will get you nowhere, kid."

"I mean it. No one is cooler than you, sensei."

Aizawa looked away. What the hell was wrong with this kid? Was he seriously getting drunk with just two sips of beer? He was acting bolder than usual, spouting out one compliment after another without the slightest bit of hesitation.

"Shut up and head to your room. It's way past your bedtime."

"I find it quite ironic that you've given an underage teen a can of beer, but still insist on making him stick to a sleep schedule."

Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the smug look the younger boy was sending his way. He knew Hitoshi's always had a snarky side to him. He's seen it more than a couple of times, but the kid's never really directed it at him. Until now.

"He is going to be stuck on kitchen duty alone all day tomorrow, if he doesn't head back to his room."

Shinso rolled his eyes, raising his hands up in mock surrender. He moved to take the empty cans of beer with him, but was stopped by a raised hand.

"I can clean these up by myself."

Shinso nodded, pulling off the fleece blanket from his shoulders, gritting his teeth when the chill hit him all at once. He paused before draping it over his chair, choosing to round the table to hang it over his mentor instead. The slight stiffening of the older man's shoulders was all he got as a reply. "Don't stay out too long or you'll catch a cold, sensei."

"Stop worrying, Toshi." Came Aizawa's exasperated tone. "Just get to bed already."

Shinso nodded, staring at the older man's back one last time, not wanting to leave just yet. He could tell this was a side of Aizawa-sensei he rarely ever showed people. The fact that the underground hero let him in, even just a little bit, told him he was trusted. Very much so.

A part of him really wanted to stay. He still wanted to hear more anecdotes about his mentor's life and experiences, but he could tell Aizawa-sensei wanted to be left alone for now. One thing was for sure though. The next time the older man needed someone to talk to, he would be there for him. No questions asked.

"Merry Christmas, sensei."

"Merry Christmas, Toshi."


End of chapter 8/9!

I'm sorry I wasn't able to finish this story before the past year ended :( I didn't want to force it at the expense of the quality so I decided to forego it until now.

I know this is supposed to be crack (but then I did say it would be taken seriously lol) so I apologize a bit for some heaviness hehe :p The state of the world is getting to me lol!

Thank you for your patience! A review would be highly appreciated :)