Chapter Three: Tenebrous
Adjective: shadowy and obscure, shut off from the light of day
"Get dinner and go to bed," barked Aizawa at his over worked and exhausted class.
"Yes sir," came a weak chorus of tired voices. The class then started to limp and shuffle away to fuel their bodies for whatever fresh hell would rain down upon them in the coming days.
Aizawa watched them go, feeling a sense of pride for his kids that he would never admit. They did well today and Aizawa couldn't really complain. He almost felt guilty about the next trial tomorrow evening that would pit 1-A and 1-B against each other…almost. That shred of guilt was demolished instantaneously when he saw his rival teacher sauntering over to him through the forest clearing. Vlad wore his characteristic sneer as he approached, and Aizawa fought against a characteristic roll of his eyes. They never got on well. If Aizawa had a shred of self-respect, he would never let that bastard touch him.
Luckily, that self-respect was non-existent.
"What the fuck, Aizawa," bellowed Vlad as he closed the distance between them rapidly.
"What is it now?" asked Aizawa impatiently. He was hungry and Vlad always had something to complain about.
"Your class hogged the training courses all day. What do you mean, what now?" seethed Vlad.
Aizawa scoffed. He wasn't a baby sitter. If Vlad was pissed off, he should reprimand the 1-A kids himself.
"If your class is too fucking shy to ask for a turn, then maybe they aren't cut out for this hero shit," said Aizawa bluntly.
"No – that's not – damn it Aizawa" sputtered Vlad, clearly frustrated based off of the vein bulging in his neck, "they're your students. You need to teach them respect."
"Like you've done with that copy cat quirk boy, Monoma?" said Aizawa sarcastically. That narcissistic child was a villain in the making if Aizawa had to put his money on any of the students here.
"You're one to talk with that violent brat, Bakugo, and those wayward wannabe vigilantes on the verge of getting expelled," said Vlad with a puffed chest.
Aizawa's temper spiked. Maybe he had thrown stones first, but no one insulted his students besides him.
"Go fuck yourself, Vlad," he cursed before he started walking back towards the mess hall. Aizawa knew he needed to leave before he did something regrettable.
"What? You can give it but you can't take it, Aizawa?" shouted Vlad with open arms, "Well let me tell you something – you can't act like a filthy, morally bankrupt whore and expect your students to turn out any better!"
That was the final straw after days of trading verbal blows and abuses.
Aizawa spun on his toes and marched back towards Vlad with a grimace that showed his entire row of bottom teeth. Aizawa shot his scarf forward to throw Vlad off balance. Shards of hardened blood ripped through the scarf. Aizawa regretted having not activated his quirk sooner, but his eyes already hurt after a long day.
Finally, the blood fell to the ground as Aizawa suppressed Vlad's quirk, but Vlad was still a beast of a man. Aizawa would have to bind him and end this quickly to avoid an all out physical brawl – one that he would surely lose – but the ripped fabric wasn't as responsive now.
Vlad's hands yanked at the fraying scarf as he barreled forward. He dodged a well-aimed jab at his throat, and grabbed at Aizawa's protruding collarbones. Using them for leverage, Vlad spun and threw Aizawa into the ground in an arc.
Aizawa kicked straight up into Vlad's stomach, lifting the heavy man off the ground through sheer velocity and strength. Bile shot out of Vlad's mouth and his eyes rolled back for only a moment before he grabbed Aizawa's ankle in a crushing grip and twisted.
"Fuck," cursed Aizawa as he arched and twisted to lessen the grinding pressure on his joints.
Before he knew it, Vlad was on top of him with his forearm pressing into Aizawa's trachea, and Vlad's feet hooked under Aizawa's open legs in a classic wrestler's hold. The two men stared at each other with burning hatred as they each struggled to catch their breath. Vlad slowly released the pressure against Aizawa's throat and Aizawa's eyes returned back to their regular, dull black.
Aizawa's gaze darted between Vlad's eyes, trying to read his expression past the obvious anger and frustration. With their bodies pressed so close, he was sure that their thoughts were headed in similar directions.
"If you wanted me on my back, you just had to ask," murmured Aizawa as tension eased out of his body and crooked smirk peeled across his lips.
Vlad clicked his tongue and his scowl deepened, but Aizawa could have sworn that a flush played on Vlad's cheeks in the darkness.
"It wasn't about that," said Vlad defensively, but he didn't move, and Aizawa was still trapped underneath his weighty muscle for better or for worse.
"It could be," said Aizawa.
And then their teeth were clashing and their lips were begging. The resentment and frustration could be forgotten, if only for a moment. Aizawa lifted his hips off the ground to help Vlad slide off his pants until the pants were only holding on around one wayward calf. Vlad lifted one of Aizawa's legs and hooked it over his shoulder. He spit in his hand and reached down.
"Ahh," gasped Aizawa as rough fingers pulled him open. He let his head fall back in the grass and tried to steady his breath. He hadn't been fucked since his meeting with Endeavor. Something sharp twanged on the right side of his entrance. He scrunched his brows and tried to ignore the pain that insisted on warning him that something was wrong. He didn't have time for his own body to betray him with that shit.
Aizawa breathed deep, centering himself on the stars above them. They were far away, and he joined them.
He heard a buckle – a zipper – a rustling of fabric.
Vlad started fucking him roughly without much warning – less of a gentleman than before, but Aizawa liked it still. He closed his eyes beneath the rough grunts and thrusts as his mind went blissfully blank. He could live a good life like this – well, maybe not a good one – but he could live a life like this all the same.
He barely heard someone else entering the clearing. Everyone else was supposed to be eating dinner in the mess hall.
"Come on, guys," groaned a loud, hoarse voice.
Both Aizawa and Vlad glanced over to see Hizashi carrying a towering stack of orange cones from the drills of the day. It was cute to see him so eager to help. Perhaps that was why Hizashi had always been class representative during their school days. He couldn't stop himself from doing good things that no one asked for.
"Can't you do this somewhere else – literally anywhere else?" asked Hizashi as he tried to balance the cones and decide how he wanted to move around the two men in the center of the path.
"Fuck off," grunted Vlad, his attention having left Hizashi long ago as he resumed pumping his hips languidly. The sound of Vlad's balls slapping against Aizawa's thighs suddenly seemed awkwardly loud and uncomfortable.
Aizawa flushed as he realized that he hadn't stopped staring at Hizashi, even as Vlad continued to fuck him into the dirt. He noted Hizashi's pained look, his red cheeks, and his deep-set grimace…his chest hurt but Aizawa couldn't pinpoint the reason why. He had been walked in on before, sometimes the voyeur ever joined, but this didn't feel like one of those times.
"Hey, let's take a break," muttered Aizawa as he looked away from Hizashi's sad expression. Aizawa blinked up blankly at Vlad, but only saw the far-off look of concentration and effort knotted between Vlad's brows.
"I'm close," rumbled Vlad as he continued to fuck Aizawa.
Aizawa rolled his eyes, sighed, and lolled back to stare at the stars again until Vlad finished. Less than a minute passed, but Hizashi was long gone. Vlad finally pulled out roughly, stood over Aizawa's spread-eagled body, and extended a hand to help Aizawa off the ground. Aizawa knocked his hand away and stood on his own.
"Sorry about…" said Vlad under his breath before he trailed off, feeling awkward and uneasy after their bodies parted.
"Don't be," said Aizawa as he dressed quickly, unfazed by what should have felt wrong, and disappeared into the forest to find his oldest friend.
Aizawa started to run after he was sure that Vlad couldn't see his urgency. It was embarrassing how much he cared about what Hizashi thought or felt, and he cursed himself for it. He checked the mess hall, but saw only students having fun without adult supervision. He checked the cabin, but found only Midnight with a disdainful frown.
"He's around back, Shouta," she said softly, "I don't think he wants to see you."
Aizawa groaned and ran his hands through his hair. Pine needles rained down around his shoulders. Of course Hizashi was a loud mouth that told everyone everything.
"Fuck…it's not like we're together, you know…I don't know why he's so fucking upset," cursed Aizawa, "god damn it."
"You invited him here didn't you?" asked Midnight pointedly, "why wouldn't he be hurt if you're off fucking another man?"
"But I'm always fucking other men," groaned Aizawa with new levels of exasperation for the evening.
Midnight rolled her eyes as she turned away and started to brush out her hair before bed.
"Everyone knows that. Literally everyone knows that…" she said, "but you know he likes you. Have a heart, Shouta."
Aizawa slammed the side of his fist into the wall and used his other hand to massage the tension from his temples.
"No I didn't fucking know that," he spat before slamming the cabin door behind him and stomping around back to find Hizashi. They weren't children. This nonsense about who likes who was bullshit. Aizawa hated being made to feel bad about his choices. He had half a mind to rip into Hizashi when he saw him – but that before he spotted the angelic figure lounging behind the cabin.
The tall, lean man glimmered golden in the pale moonlight. Hizashi was all long locks of loose blonde hair and beautifully tanned skin. A thick cloud of cigarette smoke blossomed forth from Hizashi's lips and obscured his sad green eyes. Aizawa lost the words he wanted to throw like daggers, and found something else to say instead.
"I thought you didn't smoke," said Aizawa softly as he eyed the opened carton of cigarettes that Hizashi must had retrieved from Aizawa's belongings. He knew the gift had been tied up in expectations, but Aizawa couldn't help but feel hurt that the gift had been rescinded.
"Thought I might try it out," said Hizashi with a deep cough, "see how the other half lives, see if it makes me give less of a shit about people too."
Aizawa winced. Those were damning words.
"It's not like that," said Aizawa, but he wasn't sure how to defend himself.
"Don't worry about it," said Hizashi as he dropped the half-finished cigarette and snuffed it out with his boot, "I didn't expect anything from you this week…I just…I just feel…stupid, I guess."
Aizawa frowned. He wasn't good at this.
"Vlad's an asshole. He doesn't matter," tried Aizawa. He really tried.
"Yeah, that's why it sucks," said Hizashi with a roll of his eyes. "Look, I know that we're not exclusive just because you sucked me off once – I just didn't expect it. So, you do you, I'll do me, yeah?"
Aizawa's teeth clenched against Hizashi's unnecessarily callous words. It wasn't like Hizashi to treat him like everyone else did – like he was trash, disposable, worthless – but hadn't he wanted Hizashi to treat him like this? Wasn't this what he had goaded Hizashi into from the very beginning?
Aizawa ran his hands through his hair and cursed under his breath while Hizashi watched.
"Hizashi…" started Aizawa. He rarely used Hizashi's first name, "I don't do relationships…"
"I know," said Hizashi softly.
"But…I just…I don't know," stumbled Aizawa as he tried to figure out what he wanted. Maybe he wanted Hizashi. "Okay, listen…I won't fuck anyone else while we're here, okay?"
Hizashi snorted. It was almost funny. How hard was it for Aizawa to keep it in his pants that he thought this was an endearing promise? But still, Hizashi felt something like butterflies again – those goddamn, god-awful butterflies.
"Stay here," said Aizawa suddenly as he raced back into the cabin.
Hizashi waited, feeling a bit nervous, not sure what he could possibly be waiting for. He heard grunting, dragging, huffing, and puffing around the corner for a good thirty seconds. Hizashi waited on edge until he saw that Aizawa was dragging one of the cabin beds through the detritus on the ground. Hizashi actually laughed this time – a booming sound – and stepped forward to help Aizawa pull the heavy metal frame behind the cabin.
"How romantic," murmured Hizashi, half teasing, half appreciative.
"Shut up," muttered Aizawa as he unzipped his sleeping bad to make a blanket instead, "stay the night with me?"
Hizashi stared at Aizawa's grumpy, flustered face, and laughed again.
"Sure," he said. He would love to.
Hizashi scooted into the too tight space, forced to spoon Aizawa in the single sized bed. His heartbeat was painfully fast as he felt Aizawa settle back into his chest and hips like a nuzzling kitten. Aizawa smelled like earth and sex. Hizashi thought he detected the soft scent of dry shampoo as well. This was a lazy, unhygienic man, but Hizashi adored him anyways. Time passed slowly under the stars and silence, but the warm body in his arms made Hizashi feel things he hadn't felt in a long time. Slowly, shamefully, his erection grew and he tried to rearrange his hips to avoid pressing against Aizawa's tailbone. The movement had the opposite effect, and Hizashi's cock twitched against Aizawa unintentionally.
"Sorry, I uh, it's just been awhile, but I don't want – " stuttered Hizashi.
Aizawa chuckled, a rare sound from the grumpy man.
"Are you sure you don't want to?" asked Aizawa playfully as Hizashi's body betrayed him.
"Well, not after Vlad…" muttered Hizashi under his breath as his cheeks flushed. He was truly content to cuddle and flirt.
"Ah, yeah," said Aizawa slowly as he moved forward respectfully to give Hizashi space to calm his body, "some people don't like sloppy seconds."
"You're not sloppy seconds, Shouta," said Hizashi with sharp distaste before his tone softened. "It's just that…back there, it seemed like you didn't want…"
"Didn't want what?" bit Aizawa.
"Never mind. I just thought you wouldn't be in the mood," finished Hizashi awkwardly.
Aizawa felt his blood pressure throb in his clenched teeth. He knew what Hizashi was insinuating. He didn't need a judgmental chaperone rating the levels of dubious consent in his sex life.
"I'm always in the mood," muttered Aizawa with a tinge of resentment towards Vlad for ruining his evening with Hizashi, "just let me know when the feeling is mutual…"
"Yeah," muttered Hizashi, noncommittal.
Aizawa took a deep breath and exhaled as he tried to salvage this interaction. He was getting too sleepy to care.
"It's not like you'll break me," said Aizawa softly into an oncoming yawn.
That was probably true, thought Hizashi, because it was hard to break something that was already so irreparably broken. He wondered to himself, when had everything changed? They grew apart after graduation. They were both focused on their work as brand new pro-heroes. Hizashi was getting popular in the media, but Aizawa had fallen into the shadows. It made sense with Aizawa's personality. He always hated being in the spotlight, but that didn't explain the dramatic shift in demeanor.
Hizashi sucked his teeth involuntarily as his memories evaded retrieval.
Hizashi sighed. He gave up on trying to solve that puzzle for the moment, and started drawing circles on Aizawa's back until the tension of the day released. He hadn't done this for Aizawa since the dorms during exams. Hizashi smiled lightly as Aizawa's muscles melted under his ministrations. At least some things hadn't changed.
But almost everything else had.
"You weren't like this when we were younger," muttered Yamada Hizashi as he brushed his fingers through Aizawa's tangled black hair. He remembered the stubborn teenager from their high school days that had once possessed at least a shred of self-respect.
"Like what?" asked Aizawa sleepily.
Dead inside. Broken. Available for public use.
Hizashi didn't answer, and Aizawa let the silence stretch on before he offered a hint of the darkness inside of him like a sacrificial lamb. He didn't want to let Hizashi in…he didn't want to let anyone in…but here they were under the light of the moon and stars, and Aizawa needed human intimacy so desperately that the words spilled out seemingly of their own accord.
"Things happen to people and then those people change," said Aizawa simply before sleep took him. His breathing became slow and shallow, but Hizashi was left wide-awake, wondering what those words meant, and telling himself not to fall for this godforsaken mess of a man.