Author's Note: Everyone needs to kidnap Izuku in my fics at least once, so I was shocked to realize I hadn't done Aizawa yet. This fic combines two prompts from Shad0whuntress and NEZUKO_CHANNNNN. Thank you for the inspiration! Also thank you to Silverstarwolfgoddess for another cool title idea.
Shouta Aizawa did not consider himself a villain, even though the media and numerous HPSC assassins would say otherwise. He'd briefly dabbled with vigilantism, but it had been years since he'd stopped a crime instead of committing one, so at this point "revolutionary" would be more accurate. His wanted poster had villain written underneath.
In the beginning, Aizawa had only sought the truth about Oboro Shirakumo's death. The deeper he'd dug in his research, the more it had seemed the villain responsible had powerful ties deeper in the underworld. Then Oboro's body had vanished from the morgue. It had been blatantly obviously an inside job. Aizawa had gathered evidence on the morgue employee who'd received a suspiciously large bank account payment. But someone high up in the HPSC had ordered the investigation closed. Clearly the corruption went all the way to the top.
Aizawa had sent countless letters and emails. He'd picketed the HPSC headquarters with a sign. He'd tried storming their president's office, which had gotten him arrested.
After bailing his student out of jail, Nezu had taken Aizawa aside and told him all about a shadowy ruler of the underworld named All for One. Apparently the man had ties in the government, both domestic and foreign. Even the top HPSC officials feared to take him on. Nezu wanted to investigate this dangerous existence slowly and offered to let Aizawa help after he graduated. Aizawa wasn't willing to wait that long.
At night, Aizawa started patrolling the streets alone, cornering criminals and threatening them for information. He'd also continued to post online about HPCS corruption. He'd gotten jumped on his way to school by people who might have been criminals or government agents. He never did find out. The beating had nearly killed him. After that, Yamada and Nemuri had also tried to convince him to drop the investigation. They didn't understand. Neither of them had heard Oboro's last words. No one even believed Aizawa had heard Oboro's voice after his friend had died.
Aizawa dropped out of U.A. He cut contact with his old friends. He devoted his entire life to his mission: to avenge Oboro.
To that end, he'd been ruthless. He'd ambushed criminals for information, including those recently released from prison who had committed no new crimes. He'd broken into HPSC offices to steal files several times. He'd gotten into fights with heroes. At some point, he'd been declared a villain. Probably after he'd killed his first villain (who would not be his last.) Aizawa had named himself Lie Erasure, because he sought to reveal the truth of the world. The heroes called him Black Cat, because apparently his black hoodie and flowing black scarf looked a little like cat ears and a tail. It was an insipid name, but for some reason it had stuck with the media. The villains called him Null, although most did not dare speak his name at all.
For years, Aizawa had never even gotten close to All for One. But his crusade had drawn attention from other people with a grudge against the dark lord of the underworld. All for One had left plenty of enemies in the wake of his cruelty. People had gathered under Aizawa, drawn by his conviction. He'd also created alliances with the yakuza and the MLA, although he did not like or trust either group. Over time, his goals had expanded. The more he'd learned about HPSC corruption, the more he sought to destroy the entire system of hero society. The foolish pursuit of heroism had led to Oboro's death, but no one in power had even cared to defend his body after he'd died. Oboro had been lost too young, a mere child defending an ideal of no value. Aizawa blamed the HPSC too. He had plenty of hatred to go around.
Over a decade into his crusade, Aizawa found his first real clue. All for One had subtly sent out word among villains, looking for a green-haired vigilante. Grabbing one of All for One's people and torturing him had proven illuminating. Apparently the Symbol of Fear had a son who had run away from home. How delightful!
By killing All for One's son, Aizawa would finally be able to avenge Oboro's death and cause an equal measure of pain to the murderer.
Izuku had been living on the streets ever since he'd found out the truth about his father—about All for One. The great secret had been released by accident, or perhaps it could be called a comedy of errors.
Inko had been hospitalized with a rare illness, necessitating the absent Hisashi to return home and look after their son. Hisashi had been stupid enough to think that he could plant Izuku in front of a computer in an apartment shared with an ill-looking white-haired gamer NEET, then carry on villainous business in front of him without him noticing. Tomura had been less than subtle about his feelings concerning heroes. It had been enough to send Izuku snooping. One overheard phone call later, Izuku had been very suspicious. Ordinary businessmen didn't talk about moving corpses. No, he didn't believe it was a game Tomura was playing, because he wasn't stupid. Izuku had investigated an unattended computer and learned the truth. He'd cried a lot. Then he'd copied the evidence to a flash drive and taken it to the police.
Unfortunately, Izuku had gotten an officer in All for One's pocket. He'd only escaped because he hadn't revealed the villain was his father, so he hadn't been watched closely. Ever since then, Izuku had been hiding in abandoned buildings and moving constantly. The hospital was too closely watched for him to visit his mother. He didn't know what his father had told her. For once, he hoped for lies, so as not to worry her right before her surgery.
Izuku hadn't intended to become a vigilante. His father had attacked some of his classmates to lure him out of hiding. Izuku didn't have friends. Everyone at Aldera Middle School hated him. But he'd still intervened to save them. Creative use of hairspray and a lighter as a makeshift flamethrower had driven the villains off. Since then, Izuku had fought with villains a few more times. He hadn't realized he'd been labeled a vigilante until a police detective had chased him around the city. Of course Izuku had avoided the man, not knowing who could be trusted. But he'd secretly felt a little pleasure, because vigilantes were a type of hero. His life had gone to shit, but he was living his dream.
Thus, Izuku had decided to embrace the label. He knew he was running on borrowed time before he got caught. He might as well try to do a little good, something to balance out the scales of his father's crimes. For a brief moment, Izuku fulfilled his childhood fantasies. He attacked muggers and chased down purse snatchers. Even though it resulted in Izuku crouched behind a trashcan, exhausted and covered in bruises, trying to figure out how to set his own broken arm.
In his haze of agony, he didn't even notice anyone else present until a poisoned needle hit his neck.
Aizawa tied the captured boy to a chair in his apartment. Mussed green hair was covered in dirt and twigs. His head lolled, revealing old bruises across his face and a split lip. One of his arms had been broken and untreated. On the video, it was going to look like Aizawa had tortured the child before killing him. Probably for the best, since Aizawa suddenly found he had no stomach for the torture by his own two hands. The kid was much younger than anticipated. Aizawa had assumed a vigilante would be at least a young adult. This boy looked thirteen or fourteen. Even younger than Oboro when he'd died.
Not only was the boy covered in fresh injuries, there were old burn scars all over the visible skin on his arms. It made Aizawa suspect All for One had been abusive. Someone like All for One wouldn't love a child. Even so, surely the villain would care about his son at least as a possession, right? It would mortify the Lord of the Underworld to have something of his taken away by a lesser villain. Aizawa ignored his sense of unease. The part of him which had once wanted to become a hero was screaming at him.
As Aizawa set up a camera on a stand, he heard stirring behind him. He pressed record, then turned around.
The boy's head shot up. He looked around. His eyes widened for a moment, then became resigned. "You don't work for my father. You're recording this to get back at him, aren't you?"
More for the camera's benefit, Aizawa said, "Your father killed my best friend." He wanted All for One to know why his son would die.
The boy said, "I'm sorry."
Normally Aizawa would have taken this for a ploy, but there was nothing except sympathy and sadness in those wide green eyes. "Aren't you going to beg and plead?" Aizawa asked.
Shrugging slightly, the boy said, "I could if it would make you feel better." His voice trembled with barely suppressed pain, and sweat dripped down his forehead. Yet he was oddly composed for a kid with a broken arm. Clearly this child was far too used to pain for someone his age. Aizawa's disquiet clawed at his subconscious.
Abruptly, Aizawa asked, "Why become a vigilante, when your father is a villain?"
"I thought I could make up for his crimes, even in a small way. I guess not, huh? None of my meager efforts could match up to the head of Japan's underworld." The boy sagged. "Even so, I'm glad that I did what I could before I died. I've always wanted to be a hero." He smiled, brilliantly and purely.
It reminded Aizawa so much of Oboro's smile that his heart nearly stopped. He had to grab the camera stand to steady himself. They were so much alike, this boy and the dead one who Aizawa had lost. Both of them chased after that foolish ideal of heroism to the point of destroying themselves. Both entangled by dark forces beyond their ability to handle. Both of them trying to smile and make a difference to the bitter end.
There was another way to take revenge on All for One besides killing his son. Who knew if the villain would even care? He might view a heroic child as a disgrace to be covered up. But All for One would be furious if someone else took his son, his possession, as their own.
In that way, Aizawa could finally fill the screaming void inside of himself since Oboro's death. This time, he would be strong enough to save the person he wanted to save. He would protect this child from both villains and the toxic dream of heroism.
Aizawa turned off the camera. Slipping a needle down his sleeve, he approached the boy. "What's your name? No, it doesn't matter. I'll call you Oboro."
"Uh…" The child gazed up at him, brows drawn together and gaze uncomprehending.
"You'll want to be asleep while I treat that broken arm." Aizawa slid a needle with a sleeping drug into the boy's good arm. As the child slipped into unconsciousness, Aizawa texted his people about calling for a doctor and arranging a room. The quarters would need to be secure, at least at first. He expected it would take some time for his child to adjust to his new circumstances.
OMAKE TIME!
Aizawa: I don't feel the need for a villain name.
Villains: This man causes quirks to vanish with a touch! Clearly he must be All for One.
Heroes: We're going to call you Black Cat since you don't have a name.
Enji Todoroki: Hear me out, could the new villain who makes quirks vanish be All for One's secret lovechild?
Aizawa: …I don't know which of you is more annoying but I'm coming up with a name.
#
Overhaul: Lie Erasure, we're allies—
Aizawa: Let's not go that far. We have an agreement not to get in each other's way until All for One is dead.
Overhaul: And rumor has it you found a pure quirkless child. A beacon of hope in this corrupt world.
Aizawa: Go away. I'm not sharing.
Flect Turn: Did someone say quirkless?
Aizawa: (Sighs) Time to get out my capture scarf and poisoned needles. I've got some insects to swat.
#
Aizawa: I'm going to turn this kid into my replacement Oboro.
Kurogiri: I'm right here.
Aizawa: Who is this shadowy weirdo?
#
Naomasa: Yesterday I chased a teenage vigilante around the city. They just keep getting younger. What is society coming to?
All Might: Hmm, if he evaded you then he must be skilled.
Naomasa: I see that glint in your eye! Do not adopt the feral vigilante!
#
All for One: The dreadful villain Null, also known as Lie Erasure and Black Cat, has kidnapped my son. Kill him for me.
Tomura: Or we could invite him to join the League after he autographs all my merch.
All for One: Tomura, why must you be like this?
Tomura: Maybe he wants to take revenge on you by stealing your adopted son too! I'm totally willing to be kidnapped by my idol if he'll let me play video games all day.
#
Aizawa: Now that I know your father abuses you, I can't kill you.
Izuku: I never thought I'd be so grateful for Aldera Middle School's bullying.
#
All for One: I had a son to replace my little brother.
Izuku: That is a terrible reason to have a child. You're the worst father ever.
Aizawa: Come with me, and you can replace Oboro instead.
Izuku: Why do all my dad options suck?
#
All for One: My darling love, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I finally found a quirk to cure you. The bad news…uh, have I told you how beautiful you look? The hospital gown suits you.
Inko: You lost our son, didn't you? That's the only reason you'd be groveling this much. I should have known better than to think you capable of looking after your own kid.
All for One: Listen, All Might is the one who infected Izuku with heroic ideals, leading him to turn on me and run away from home. So ultimately I think we can both agree this is All Might's fault.
Inko: Come a little closer, I need you to step within range so I can yank your kidney out your nose.
Author's Note: Credit goes to KillerSquirtle for suggesting heroes and villains have different names for Aizawa and GinkoTracks for the villain name Null. Also MelancholysSunshine suggested that villains might mistake Aizawa for All for One, inspiring my first omake. Thank you to everyone on Silver's Vault for brainstorming with me.