Chapter Text
Shirakumo escaped The League again. He made sure to leave a note for them, it read that he would look in the mountains on his own to cover more ground. Of course this was a lie to reunite with the heroes and his family. He needed to know how much changed in his family. Was his mom doing okay? How about dad? Or Miu and Syoun, are they okay? The thoughts were practically eating him alive.
He had to visit his mom again.
"I know you have a lot of stuff to do, but is it okay if I go to the park after school?" Shirakumo asked hesitantly as he placed the choker on his neck.
Aizawa raised his eyebrow. "The park? Why do you wanna go there?" The man had a feeling he knew what the boy would say but he still needed to ask.
"I just...I need to see my mom. I gotta know how she's doing...and how my family is-"
"I-" Aizawa interrupted before immediately stopping himself. His eyes darted away from the road for a second before focusing again. "I can't let you do that, not when- no you can't see her."
Shirakumo was a bit taken aback by that sentence. "Are you serious?! Aizawa, I've stayed with you for days! Haven't I proven myself to be Shirakumo?!"
Aizawa's grip on the wheel strengthened. "I-I know- it's just...I feel like it's him but my mind can't accept you. No matter how much I wanted him back, he was dead. And I can't let Shirakumo's family get involved in this mess, they've all suffered enough." He took a breath. "I think… I can trust you, if I had a reason not to then you wouldn't be here. But no matter how many times I look at you...I can't...my mind can't believe-"
Shirakumo rested his hand in Aizawa's shoulder, the man was a little startled. "Shota, I'll never truly understand how you're feeling right now. But I can tell that these past fifteen years have been rough. You've been dealing with everything for so long and you've already moved on. Me being here just unraveled everything you tried so hard to bury in the past. I'm sorry for pushing you despite the shit you've gone through." The boy kept his head down as he spoke. His eyes peered towards Aizawa as they stopped at a red light. The hero peered over as well.
"I don't know what'll happen once I leave this body. Maybe I'll still live and continue to survive. Or maybe I'll cease to exist and the world will continue like it always has. What I do know is that whatever happens, you're strong enough to get through it. So for now, continue to endure and if you decide to trust me is your decision alone."
The car was silent for a good while. Aizawa just continued to drive until they stopped at UA.
"I'll take you as long as you behave, okay?." Aizawa groaned.
Shirakumo turned to his friend with a wide smile. "Thank you! Thank you- thank you sooo much, Shota!"
The man rolled his eyes as he turned away. "Alright, get all your stuff I can still change my mind y'know.
—
Aizawa's been keeping a close eye on Shirakumo, just in case he does anything he shouldn't be doing. That meant Shirakumo was inserted into every single class Aizawa had throughout the day. The class he'd hangout with the most however, is class 1A. In all honesty, Shirakumo was kinda glad. He managed to get to know everyone better and gain more insight on how life is 15 years later. Apparently class 1A had an encounter with The League of villains before. First it was at the USJ, then apparently Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki had an encounter with a villain called Stain.
They were attacked during their summer camp, and a kid even got kidnapped.
It took a second for Shirakumo to connect the dots, but once they told him it was Bakugo who was kidnapped- he realized why he recognized him. His first dream he had when he got here, there was a blonde boy captured by villains. That was Bakugo.
There was also the topic of All Might's retirement as the number 1 hero. Apparently he fought some crazy villain called All for One and saved... everyone.
Shirakumo still couldn't fully grasp at that fact, and on top of that...he was working as a teacher at UA.
While at school, he also tried finding anything about the body swap. He searched inside multiple books on both body swapping and time travel quirks but none seemed to match. He also tried looking online but after a while of searching, he had to give up. Shirakumo knew Aizawa was doing research on the subject too, it was just a bit harder for him since he's so busy being both a pro hero and a teacher. But as of right now, there was nothing on his situation.
On a bit of a brighter note, Aizawa got a text from Nem and Hizashi asking to go out to eat one day. It was clear that Aizawa was scared about the outcome of their hangout but agreed anyway. Shirakumo would be lying if he said he wasn't excited. He barley had any time to hangout with his other friends. He hoped this time around he'd be able to bond more with them.
—
Shirakumo knew going to his old house was a bad idea since Kosuke Sora doesn't technically know where she lives. So his solution was to wait at the park until he found his mom again. Aizawa drove up to the same gate entrance and double parked.
"I'm picking you up in a few hours okay? We still gotta figure out the situation with dinner." The man explained.
Before Shirakumo left he let out a small gasp with a grin. "We should go to our go to sushi place? We always went there for special events! Is it still open?"
The man let out a sigh, thinking back to the place. "Yeah, it's still open..."
"Let's go there then! I'll see you!" Shirakumo quickly spoke as he jumped out for the car.
"Wait but I didn't say-ugh." Aizawa could barely speak before the boy shut the door and ran off. If he wasn't so annoyed he might've actually smiled with him.
Even if his real body is Kurogiri's, this disguise- 'Kosuke Sora' brought out the emotion behind Shirakumo's spirit. Aizawa would love having him back in his life and he's sure everyone else would feel similar- at least with some time to process it all. But that void was still there, the one he left behind. And with their current situation, he needed to know if Shirakumo being here was permanent or not. If he isn't there would be no point in introducing him to everyone. But is he stays, what would that mean for The League or Kurogiri?
There was no use worrying about it right now. They just needed to do everything one step at a time.
But if Aizawa was being honest, as much as he hates to admit it...he liked the company.
—
When Shirakumo entered, he wandered around the park searching for his mom. He couldn't help but feel weird for trying to track her down but he needed to see her again. He had to know more. After looking for a few minutes he managed to spot her walking around again.
"Mrs. Shirakumo!" He shouted with a smile.
The woman turned and saw Kosuke, taking off her hoodie and giving him a warm smile. "Sora, I'm so happy you're here again."
"I was hoping I'd find you here! I wanted to clean up the place, and maybe talk a bit more!" He exclaimed.
She furrowed her eyebrows. "Clean up? Sora you can't clean up this place- it's too much for one person to handle."
He placed his hand on his hip and winked at the woman. "I don't care how hard it is to clean up! I'm gonna make sure this place is back to the way it was!"
She was stunned for a second, but smiled again. "If you believe you can then I guess I can't stop you." She sat down on a nearby bench and Shirakumo quickly got to work. Shirakumo's first step to saving the place was collecting the trash. He went around the area, picking up stuff off the ground, on benches, and tables. He continued to have small talk to his mom. The topic of Shirakumo's family came up, which of course was a bit of a complicated subject. He mentioned how he was staying with a friend of his and how his family was doing work some place else.
"So how about your family? What are they like?"
Kasumi looked away, a sad look in her eyes. Seeing her so upset stung his heart. He knew this wouldn't be a good subject to continue with, but if he wanted to know how they were doing, this was the best option.
"Well...my husband is a lovely man. He's very protective and cares about the family. Um...my oldest son is doing very well with himself. He's extremely smart and he got a well paying job in Tokyo. He calls everyday and visits us frequently. My daughter...she's a very shy girl and lives with me and my husband as of right now. Shes a very hard worker, I know she'll find a career path-"
"She...she doesn't know what she wants to do?"
"As a kid she would always say how she'd be a hero one day, but she grew out of it. She doesn't have a set path right now. It's just small jobs until she can find something stable." The woman explained.
That couldn't be right. Syoun's route made sense for him, but Miu was never shy. Miu was extroverted like him, and she always wanted to be a hero. Did she try to become a hero or...was this his fault?
"I see."
The air was silent. Shirakumo was tempted to continue the conversation, but he wasn't sure. Maybe it was best to leave it at that. He didn't want her to talk about it if she didn't want to.
The woman's smile faded for a few seconds. Her focus was on the floor, imagining her thoughts. "Then my middle child, he-he was so kind. Always putting others over himself. He was like the sun he was so bright. His presence brought happiness."
The boy felt himself start to break. He wanted to comfort his mother so badly, but he couldn't. He struggled holding himself back from hugging her. Shirakumo could imagine how scared and hurt she must've felt that day.
"He's um...gone now. But if he were still here I'd think you two would get along."
Shirakumo returned a strained smile, placing down his cleaning stuff and sitting next to her. He raised his hand to pat on her back.
"I'm so sorry."
"No- I apologize for bringing the mood down. I didn't mean to talk so much." She explained while wiping away her tears.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up, none of it was your fault. Never feel bad for grieving someone close to you." Shirakumo turned to see her face.
Kasumi peered to the boy, somehow seeing him and hearing his words made her feel a little better. It was as if Shirakumo's spirit had sent someone to cheer her on. It's been a long time since the world looked so bright.
"Hey mom! You still here?!" A startling shout echoed throughout the park. Shirakumo turned to the noise, noticing a silhouette appear from one of the park pathways. When the figure appeared, Shirakumo immediately recognized her. She was on his family's wall...in one of the photos.
The first thing Shirakumo noticed was her long black hair, it seemed to be about the same length as the picture he saw…maybe a little shorter. Her eyes were a deep blue and her eyebrows... they were a brighter blue. And the shape...looked exactly like...
"Mom, who's...this?" The girl asked as Shirakumo connected the dots. It all made sense now, how could he not recognize her? He knew the shape of those eyes and eyebrows. He knew those colors of blue and he knew her rosey beige skin.
It was someone he would spend hours with at the playground, and someone he'd build pillow forts with. He'd treat them for fast food, he'd always pick them up after school. Someone he looked after while mom was away, someone he'd let ride on his shoulders. Someone he'd lend his shoulder to cry on when villains were on tv. Someone he'd play board games with and tickle non stop.
Someone who wanted nothing else but to be a hero just like her big brother.
"Miu..." Mom interrupted. "This is Sora, he's a boy I met a few days ago. He's been trying to clean up the park."
Miu glared at Shirakumo with a cold gaze. "Sora, huh?"
Shirakumo cleared his throat as he stared at her. It was hard to keep his composure knowing who she was. For one thing, she was much taller- 15 years would do that to a person. But what caught Shirakumo by surprise was how dark her eyes were. They looked to be sunken in. That was definitely new. Judging by what his mom said, Miu became quieter...shy. And she wasn't trying to be a hero anymore. Shirakumo sealed the urge to cry inside. If he thought about it too much- I would blow his cover.
Oh Miu, I'm so sorry. Mom...dad...Syoun.
I'm so so sorry...
"It's nice to meet you."
—
That night, Shirakumo and Aizawa ended up eating at the sushi bar they used to go to frequently. Aizawa had come to place every so often, and it seemed to look almost the same. There were some new decorations and staff. He couldn't help but feel conflicted, the smell itself sent him flying back to all those years ago. They were such good memories, but seeing how much has changed only reminded Aizawa of Shirakumo's death. So much time had passed since then, and so little passed for Shirakumo.
Aizawa was pulled out of his thoughts once they were guided to a booth. Shirakumo excitedly sat down and opening the menu right away. Aizawa sat across from him and got adjusted.
"I hope they still have my favorite dishes, this is a sushi place after all. Do you know, Shota?" Oboro asked perking his head up.
Aizawa's peered his eyes over and then back at the menu. He flipped a page or two before spotting the Uramaki sushi. "You liked the uramaki rolls didn't you? I think you'd get specialty tuna whenever we came."
The boy's face lit up. "Aww, you remember!! They have them, right? I can't find them on the menu."
"Yeah, they're right here." Aizawa explained showing where on the menu it was.
Once a server came they put in their drink orders. Aizawa wanted a water while Oboro had a hard time deciding what to get. In the end he just wanted a soda and the lady walked off.
"So how'd the park go?" Aizawa brought up as he took a sip of his drink.
The boy's upbeat attitude suddenly changed. Shirakumo bit his lip as he peered away from Shota's eyes. "I don't know. Hanging out with mom was okay but then I learned about what happened with the rest of my family."
Aizawa raised his eyebrow. "I haven't seen or heard much from them in a bit. The only one I've seen since the accident was your mother." The man paused, noticing the boy's face switch to a downcast look. "So how was that? What did you find out?"
"Miu...you remember her- she was so ambitious." He let out a small laugh, reminiscing about the girl. "She always wanted to be a hero...but she never became one." Shirakumo explained, his fists scrunched. "I met her...y'know?" He paused, voice sounded a bit more panicked. "She had long dark hair...and…and you could tell she...her eyes were almost sunken in. Like she hadn't gotten sleep in days. And mom said she was shy- she was never shy..."
Aizawa wasn't exactly sure what to say. Grief affects many people differently, her actions made sense to him. Though to Shirakumo, it must've been a big shock.
"She gave up on her dreams cause of me."
"Don't put it like that. She gave up on her dreams because of what happened to you." Aizawa corrected, his voice got slightly louder and panicked.
"But if I hadn't died-"
"You can't control that." Aizawa's immediately responded again.
Shirakumo pressed on. "If I was stronger-"
"It was an accident." Aizawa slightly raised his voice, his eyebrows furrowed. Oboro shrunk back, a saddened look on his eyes. The pro hero took in Shirakumo's action, and then turned around to see if anyone else heard him. "I just..." He took a deep breath. "...don't say things like that."
Shirakumo decided not to talk about that any further. Of course it was a rough topic, to speak on. Especially when you're at the core of it. Maybe something else could brighten the mood?
A light bulb went off in the boy's head.
"You know, that park takes me back. Remember how you, me, Hizashi, and Nemuri always went there when school ended early? One time we raced to the top of the playground and Nem beat us all." Shirakumo mentioned happily, a small laugh followed after. "If I'm being honest...I kinda let her win cause she was pretty."
"That makes sense." Raised his eyebrows as he looked away. "I remember one day Sensoji tried picking on me during lunch and we both tried beating him up."
"He was such an asshole." Shirakumo laughed sadly, noticing Aizawa give a small smirk as he kept his attention on his empty plate.
"Y'know he has an agency now." Aizawa mentioned, his eyes drifting up to Shirakumo.
"Shut up. You're lying." His mouth was agape, eyes widened in shock.
"Sidekicks and everything."
"That's crazy!"
The two laughed a little before going silent.
"We were a good team."
Aizawa took a second to respond.
"Mm. Yeah."
—
The rest of that night Aizawa and Shirakumo talked about their UA days. One of their topics involved their opinions on their old teachers. Shirakumo rambled on about his favorite and his least favorites. They talked about kids they knew in school and how they were doing now. Some had their own agencies, some were working for a different agency. They talked about old places they used to visit, like the mall they would go to or the arcades they used to play at. And finally they talked about students in class 1A. An hour and a half later, the two were full from the food and ready to leave.
Everything seemed normal as they were getting up from the table, but as they were walking towards the exit, Shirakumo felt a small pang of pain in his head and neck. It was small so he brushed it off the first time, but a few steps outside and it came back. Shirakumo winced loud enough for Aizawa to notice this time around. Without a second thought, Aizawa reached his hand to Shirakumo's shoulder.
"You okay?"
"My head...it really hurts." Shirakumo grabbed his forehead, eyes shut closed. The boy could practically feel the worry coming off of Aizawa, one of the perks of knowing him in high-school. The older man wrapped his arm around Shirakumo and continued to walk with him.
"Does it hurt anywhere else?"
"My neck too... it's like cramping or something- can necks do that?"
"Just calm down, Shirakumo. Take deep breaths, in and out. Don't worry about a thing."
Shirakumo followed exactly what Aizawa said as they entered a small alley way near the restaurant. It seemed unoccupied and fairly lit up. Aizawa took a good look around before turning his attention to Shirakumo.
"You said it hurt in your neck?"
"Uh huh.." Shirakumo's eyes were still shut, eyebrows turned up in pain.
"Let me take the choker off you, Handa did warn us about over-usage." Aizawa explained, grabbing onto the collar and un clipping it. Shirakumo continued to take deep breaths, trusting Aizawa to take the gem off. It was a quick removal, and it seemed that the effects were quick as well. Shirakumo, within just a few seconds, seemed calmer.
"I think it's fading now... it doesn't hurt anymore.." Oboro opened his eyes, he could feel his hands still over his forehead and neck. But when he looked, it was purple mist. He pulled his hands forward, watching the mist wave in the air. He was Kurogiri again.
Aizawa huffed as he stared at the item. "You need to take it off more. I don't want you suffering like that again." Shirakumo nodded, still trying to feel his neck and head the best he can. Why does looking like himself have to have such a painful consequence?
"You think you're able to put it on for a few minutes longer? Just till we get to my place? Then you can take it easy." Shirakumo nodded again, holding his hand out. The boy followed with some hums of reassurance.
Aizawa returned the choker to Shirakumo, and the boy quickly clipped it around his neck. Within an instant, he shifted back into Kosuke Sora's body. After taking a deep breath, Aizawa wrapped his arm around Shirakumo's shoulder and the two walked out of the alley and towards Aizawa's house.
...
"Hey Shigaraki..." a strained voice spoke. Upon the rooftops sat a black haired man with stitches all over his body. Burned skin patched across his face and chest. Bright blue eyes carefully watched Aizawa and what was supposed to be their friend walking off into the night. He held his phone out, a glare in his eyes. "A new factor just came into play."
Dabi took a second to get up, standing tall on the rooftop, his eyes piercing at the back of the pink haired boy's head.
"We have a traitor, and I can bet you know who it is."
—
There was talk about some girl named Eri. Shirakumo had heard the name around, but Aizawa was mentioning her more often than usual. Apparently he went to see her yesterday, and was planning on taking her to UA at some point. Thankfully, on the way to the hospital, Aizawa decided to inform Shirakumo further.
"Oh, right. Eri was the girl The Shie Hassaikai raid was for. Her quirk was being used to make drugs. She's been in the hospital for a little while now and staying close with the U.A. staff." He was focused on driving but the explanation was clear. Shirakumo grows a small ache in his chest hearing more about the raid. So much happened that day, Nighteye's death, and now this poor girl was saved. Shirakumo couldn't imagine how terrible he'd feel if his quirk was misused in favor of villains. She must've been so scared and alone.
"Please be patient with her. She's still very shy and sticks close to certain people. Being too loud or too overbearing might scare her away."
Shirakumo nodded. "Don't worry Shota! I'll make sure to be on my best behavior for her!" The pro hero responded with a long sigh as he continued to drive.
When they arrived, it took a few minutes in the waiting area before they were let inside. One of the doctors guided them through the halls before standing in front of the door. The way Aizawa was acting seemed a little different. Throughout Shirakumo's time in the future, he noticed Aizawa slowly unraveling the more they would hang out. He'd be lying if he wasn't a little happy for it. But now his overall presence was quieter and gentler than usual. It wasn't strange to see, but a little sudden.
Aizawa knocked lightly, and a faint voice that said "Come in!" spoke from behind the door. The two entered the room and there on the hospital bed was a small girl with long white hair wearing a blue hospital gown. A little horn rested on the right side of her forehead and she had large red eyes. The girl was younger than he expected, she could be even younger than Miu. Next to her kneeling down was a high schooler with a bright smile on his face. His hair was blonde, and swooped up- kinda like Hizashi's. His deep blue eyes were long, and his ears pointed outward. He was wearing casual attire, a shirt, jacket and pants.
"Hey, Erasurehead! What are you doing here today?" The boy asked, getting up from the floor.
Aizawa kept his hands in his pockets, " I honestly just wanted to see how Eri was doing, now that she's awake. And...I also have a visitor..." Aizawa stepped to the side a little, revealing Shirakumo in his disguise.
He waved at the blonde with a big smile. "Hey! The name is Kosuke Sora."
The boy returned the smile, getting closer. "It's nice to meet you! Mirio Togata!"
As Shirakumo and Mirio were meeting, Aizawa stepped toward Eri who was staring at the newcomer. "How's it going here, Eri? It seems like Lemillion's been visiting you, I'm happy you have company." Aizawa spoke softly. For a moment, Aizawa sounded very similar to how he used to sound as a kid. Recently Aizawa's sounded so stern and confident, but he was always a bit more soft spoken back then.
"Mhm..." She mumbled, a crayon in her hand and a notepad on her bed.
Mirio came over, resting his arm on her bed. His focus was on Shirakumo, waving him over. "Why don't you introduce yourself? We were busy doing a little drawing! It's a fun way to pass the time!"
Shirakumo followed, but that caught Eri's attention. Her giant terrified eyes stared straight at him. His chest ached in pain just from looking at her. Shirakumo could never truly grasp what horrors she went through, he's only ever heard of it through Aizawa. So he needed to do what he does best, and stay positive. He had two years of hero-ing at UA to prepare himself for this moment.
With a bright smile, Shirakumo kneeled next to Aizawa and kept his hands to himself. "Hey, my name is Kosuke Sora, I'm a friend of Erasurehead here." He paused to glance at his old friend. Aizawa peered over but didn't linger for long. "I heard your name is Eri, right?"
The girl played his her hands for a second, staring down at them. Her eyes fought to look up at Shirakumo, but she eventually nodded.
"So, do you like to draw?"
She nodded again, the response was quicker this time. Shirakumo adjusted his position a little. "That's awesome, you know... I have a little sister who's a bit older than you. She also loves to draw!" Eri's attention was focused now, her hands fiddled with the crayon. "She loved drawing her favorite heroes the most, but she also loved to draw ducks."
Once she heard that, Shirakumo noticed her eyes light up. Her mouth opened slightly, as if she was about to speak. Mirio let out a small chuckle. "Do you wanna show them what you drew?"
The girl looked nervous, but Mirio's energy continued to empower her. So Eri took a small breath and picked up the note pad. She held it up to Aizawa's and Shirakumo and the first thing they noticed were the two stick figures in the middle. One had blonde swooped up hair with blue eyes and a red cape, the other had messy green hair and freckles. The first one was obviously Mirio, but it took some time to figure out who the second one was. The rest of the page was filled with grass, flowers, some clouds, and a sun in the corner of the scene.
"Are...they your heroes?"
The girl nodded.
Aizawa had a small smirk on his face as Eri hesitantly opened her mouth. "This one is Lemillion, and this one is Deku." Ah, so that's who it is. That kid- Bakugo called Midoriya that name often. Maybe Midoriya played a part in the raid too.
"Those are amazing, Eri. Good job." Aizawa complimented.
Mirio sat down on a chair nearby and scooted closer. "She's been a little anxious to go to the UA school festival, so I thought that drawing would help with the nerves! We have tons of pages to spare and all sorts of crayons to choose from."
Shirakumo's eyes widened, the school festival already? The thought was a little shocking because it'd only been a few days since he was on summer break. But he was in the future now, 15 years and a month to be exact. It was the beginning of October now.
"That's a good idea Mirio!" Shirakumo complimented as he got from the floor. "You're a hero, right?"
"Mhm! On my third year!" He replied quickly, his thumb pointed at his chest. Third year?! Wow- so this guy has way more experience than him. He definitely helped in the raid, and he's really good with taking care of kids. Shirakumo couldn't help but wonder what other hero stuff he's done over the course of his time at UA.
"That's sounds awesome! Did you do any internships? Who taught you?" He paused, quieting his voice. "Was it Aizawa..?" Mirio's eyebrow scrunched as Shirakumo started bombarding him with questions, but he calmly replied to every question.
They spent around an hour at the hospital before they ended up leaving. Mirio ended up leaving a little earlier but they all said their goodbyes.
—
Shirakumo immediately took off the choker when they got back home to make sure he doesn't get another headache. But in the end it was all worth it. Shirakumo was glad he ran into Aizawa in-front of UA. He's glad Aizawa's trusted him despite looking like a villain. And he's so happy Aizawa helped him disguise himself.
Shirakumo couldn't thank him enough for everything. And a small part of him was wondering how Aizawa was handling it all. He was sure that it must be a lot. An old friend from high-school back from the dead through some sort of body swap with a villain. It must be a lot to take in, even though it's been a few days already.
So him and Aizawa finished dinner, and Shirakumo sat on the couch to watch some tv. But Aizawa coincidentally happened to sit with him. It was the perfect opportunity.
"You okay?"
Aizawa slouched, his eyes looked up.
"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well...I dunno...it's been a lot recently."
His eyebrows raised. "What has?"
Shirakumo peered around. "Uh...everything? You're not...frustrated or overwhelmed or something?"
Aizawa seemed a bit shocked at the question, Shirakumo could practically see Aizawa's gears turning in his head. The way his eyes bounce around the room, how his hands trembles ever so slightly. Shirakumo knows he's stressed, he knows how hard all of this is for him. He knows how much is on the line. If anyone ever found out who Shirakumo looked like, he'd be sent to prison. They would loose each other and any insight on The League.
Aizawa would probably loose his job and his hero license for helping a villain. Handa would probably get in a lot of trouble too. All this after everything that happened to Eri, Nighteye, and the heroes at the raid... And that's without mentioning the fact that his old friend is back from the dead 15 years later. And can't forget the cherry on top, whatever countdown is going on in Shirakumo's head.
Aizawa took some time to think, looking down at the floor for a few seconds. "You're right...that it's a lot. But I've learned a lot the past few years, and it's normal for me to be in stressful situations."
"I didn't ask if it was normal or not, I asked if you were okay."
Aizawa paused, taking deep breaths. Eventually he let out a lingering sigh and rested his head on the couch cushions. "No, no I'm not."
They were silent after that, watching whatever channel was on the tv. Shirakumo hated seeing the people he cares about upset. He'd do anything to help them feel better. But this situation they were in, Shirakumo wasn't sure he'd be able to help. In fact, his presence probably makes it even worse. It's terrible what happened to him, it's terrible what happened to everyone he loves. And no matter how much he wants to fix it, he really can't- not in the way he wants to.
But...maybe he can try to make things work. He can't repair what happened, but maybe he could do what he can now to make Shota's life just a little bit better.
"You know, I'm really happy it was you I met in the future." Shirakumo started, his eyes still on the screen. "When I first woke up in The League of Villain's hideout, I was so terrified that...I might've gotten kidnapped..." He chuckled at that. It wasn't really funny, Shirakumo was in shock that day. But he needed to smile, he needed to laugh. He needed Shota to be happy.
"I was terrified that my family might've gotten hurt...or worse. And I was in a body I didn't understand how to control. And one minute I was at their hideout, and the next I was back home. I understand now, why the place seemed different. Why my family looked so different in the photos on our wall." He rambled on, feeling Aizawa's eyes look over to him. "I was hoping that going to UA would help because there were pro heroes there- and teachers I could trust. And I was right."
He turned to Aizawa with a small grin. Aizawa's hands were shaking, and his eyebrows curved up. It's harder now, but Shirakumo could still read Aizawa. In the way his eyes search for a subject to focus on, in the way his lips tremble, and in the way his chest rises up and down. If Hizashi were here, Shirakumo was sure he would see it too.
"Shota, thanks to you- I was able to see my friends without everyone thinking I'm a terrible villain. I was able to see my mom again." Aizawa was pulled himself back a little, a sharp inhale followed. Shirakumo got closer. "You being here has helped me ease the pain of the future. Thank you, Shota."
He was staring straight into his friend's eyes, who was now breathing harder than before. His eyes ever so slightly wide and teary.
"I understand it's been really stressful, and I'm sorry for being such a big factor in that. You're one of my best friends, Shota. The last thing I want is you being upset because of me." Aizawa didn't reply to that, but his expression was different than before. An unbearable expression of anguish grew on his face.
They continued to sit in silence before Aizawa's hands turned to fists, gripping hard into his skin. "We were interning under His Purple Highness. It was the start of a brand new semester." He started, pausing right after. Shirakumo couldn't breathe for a second. "We were walking with kids and their teacher when the villain attacked. Everything happened so quick...he broke a nearby building and the rubble headed towards the children we were looking after." His voice began to shake, more and more gasps in each word. It didn't take long for Shirakumo to catch on to what Aizawa was saying. "S-Shirakumo protected them. Made a cloud over their heads while he was left defenseless. Some rubble...hit his head. He fell and I wasn't able to find him." He paused one more time before letting out a small laugh. "This might sound a little crazy...Sensoji didn't believe me when I said it. But...when I was fighting the villain off...I-I swore I heard his voice...from his gourd speaker."
Shirakumo kept his full attention on Aizawa, shifting closer to him and wrapping his left arm around the man's shoulder. He didn't say anything about it, caught up in the story. His voice continued to get worse with every sentence. And small tears dripped down his cheek and onto his clothes.
"He was...cheering me on...saying things like... 'You can do this!' And in the end...I-I defeated it. But...but when I...when I turned..." Shirakumo rubbed his back, feeling himself start to break. Oh Aizawa...they were all so young. Shirakumo couldn't even imagine how terrible he must've felt that day. "He...he was...I couldn't even say goodbye. I couldn't even look at h-him one more time before they took him away. There was so much blood s-stained on the ground. They said he broke his bones and skull from the debris." Aizawa's foot was tapping anxiously on the floor, while thier hands slowly interlocked. Aizawa then closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. "He didn't cheer me on that day. Sensoji said his gourd speaker was broken the whole time- that I imagined it all. The real Shirakumo died under that rubble. I accepted that."
The moment was sudden, Shirakumo didn't even mean to do it. It was a quick thought as he grabbed into the gem. Tears running down his cheek. And once Aizawa turned to him, everything fell apart. Shirakumo could see him clearly now, the redness in his eyes and the stream of tears. He could see the man trying to catch his breath as he cried, the messy strands of hair falling down his face. He was stunned for a moment...just staring. And Aizawa could see him clearly now too. The blue floating strands of hair, the deep blue in his eyes. How his crying eyes search for any way he could help. The way his mouth was shut tight, unable to hold himself together.
There in-front of Aizawa...instead of Kosuke Sora, was Oboro Shirakumo.
"Why would you do that...?"
Oboro forgot to breathe. He was unable to look away from his friend.
"Shirakumo, how could you do that...?
It was the first time he properly referred to him as Shirakumo.
"How could you throw your life away like that...?"
He struggled to find his words. "I-I..."
Shirakumo panicked a little, an overwhelming nausea rose in his stomach. "Shota, all I've ever wanted to do was protect others, even if it meant that I would no longer be there. I-I'd rather die saving people than live with the guilt of doing nothing." Despite how confident he spoke, Shirakumo felt terrible. He's never admitted something like that before. He never liked to talk about that subject because he was scared how people would react. It's not that he wanted to die, he wasn't depressed or suicidal. But if someone needed his help, he couldn't just turn away. He lives to save others.
Shirakumo hadn't notice how much pressure he was putting into Aizawa's hand. He seemed to return the grip, and he wasn't saying anything about it.
"...I'm sorry, Shota. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough...I'm so sorry I died that day..." Shirakumo's breathing grew erratic. " I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you guys when you needed me. I'm sorry I couldn't graduate with you, I'm sorry we couldn't make our agency. Even being here is reopening a wound you put so much effort into healing...." Shirakumo paused, sniffling the snot in his nose. His eyes opened to Aizawa, who was now facing him entirely. "I'd never want my presence here to hurt you, not ever."
They stared for a few seconds longer, until Aizawa's hand let go and started reaching toward Shirakumo. At that moment, he couldn't take it anymore. The boy lunged at Aizawa and grabbed into a tight hug. One arm wrapped around Aizawa's back and his other grabbed the back of his neck. Shirakumo leaned onto his shoulder, closing his eyes tight. Aizawa squeezed in return and leaned his head on Shirakumo's. One of Aizawa's arms was wrapped around the top of Shirakumo's back while the other was holding the back of his head. Both of them pouring tears onto each other's clothes. A complex wave of mixing emotions and feeling flowing through the two. Pushing and pulling at each other, combining into one mess of a hug.
Aizawa tsked as he rubbed the back of Shirakumo’s head. "It was because of you that I became a teacher at UA, y'know?...Well...you were the one who put the idea out there, Kayama and Yamada encouraged it after they became teachers at UA." He explained calmly, pressing his head against Shirakumo's. "But...I made sure my students wouldn't make the same mistake you did. I wanted them to become heroes, but I wanted them to live too- y'know? I wanted them to live long happy lives."
A small smile grew on Shirakumo's face, taking in a few breaths. "You're such a softie, y'know that Shota?You're an amazing hero and teacher." Shirakumo pulled away, looking straight at Aizawa's face. He brought his hands to his eyes and wiped his tears away.
"Shota, I'm... so proud of you."