STRANGER - ERASERJOKE

twenty-seven

Ryouta tossed his bag down the floor then dumped himself to the couch. Emi wasn't home from her mission yet and left a note and food for him to heat up for dinner.

Ryouta pulled his tie harshly and placed it on the table before him. He didn't realize it much but the conversation with his so-called homeroom teacher reminds him so much of the hidden grudge he has for the man. Or is it his attitude? His response isn't much to what Ryouta was expecting, or what he was... hoping. Aizawa's indifferent attitude is starting to drive him a bit crazy. But of course, Ryouta did anything but admit it.

...

He was having a nice quiet dinner when a rock come crashing his window, breaking the glass into pieces. Ryouta quickly stood, finding a piece of paper crumpled with the dirty old medium-sized rock. His eyes widen in surprise as he made his way closer. 

Ryouta kneeled, reading through the words. His heartbeat speeding up as he noticed the name written at the end of the text, 'Tomura Shigaraki'. The boy sighed, looking around anxiously as he wiped the single sweat coming out of his forehead. 

'You can't stop to amaze me.'

"The hell is he talking about," he said that, but his hands start to sweat. Ryouta quickly tucked the sheet of paper into his pocket, not wanting his mom to find it later.

His phone starts to ring. An unknown number. The boy stood, reaching the main door, locking it. His eyes gazing through the window for a second before turning his phone off, having clearly known who it might be. 

If anything, he knew locking the door won't do any good. Not with the idea of a decay quirked villain around. But it's not like there's any better idea around at the moment. Ryouta crouched behind the door as if waiting for his moment to come, silently praying to all Gods that it's just a dream. What on fuck sake is this quirk anyway? Why is it that they want it so much? Ryouta would gladly give it away in a change of some bubble-making quirk just for fun if he could. 

...

If anything, Shota Aizawa is well known as the downer. Same thing goes for the time his friends decided to hold a small party after the sports festival. Even when his class manages to win the top 3 spot, there is no way Aizawa will walk out of his apartment and meet humans in the local bar, not after what happened to him there years ago. Thinking of it still sends shivers down his spine. 

So instead, he gathers himself with piles of paper sheets, one document after another. One case after another. Analyzing each problem after another to make it easier to work on later. 

But Hizashi, like the person he is, would knock through his doors endlessly and eventually persuade him to leave one way or another. 

"Shota, go out there and get a life!" he would say, yelling again and again until Aizawa's neighbor would reach out thinking someone in there was going to kill himself. If anything, Aizawa just wanted peace. Peace and commitment, to his job. Commitment and dedication to the hero world...like the reason he left Emi in the first place, only to find her carrying his child. Aizawa's child. Alone. It'd be a disgrace, an insult if he messed this one too. 

But even so, Hizashi would keep yelling, "I know you're in there!" no matter how silent he is or even when he decided to turn every light off-not that the blonde hero can spot it, just for dark vibe's sake. 

But tonight, the raven-haired hero thought. Even when the whole country come knocking down his door, he decided not to reply. He wasn't analyzing one of his cases like he wished he would, Aizawa was lying on his bed tiredly-as always.

Voices of Ryouta the night when he was captured, the life he let Emi went through alone, the dumb things he did in the bar, the life he has now. If anything, Shota Aizawa's never best at making decisions...

The raven-haired hero grunted, reaching for a cigar on the nightstand, lighting it up with the match with his non-dominant hand, then smoked lying down in bed. He tossed the match down the floor before turning his arm to the back of his head as a pillow. 

"I-I don't think I can make it," the boy uttered.

"What happened? Where are you?" He heard Aizawa rushing. The underground hero took a black jacket and his capture weapon. Ryouta heard glass crashing from his line of the call, cursing himself for causing Aizawa so much trouble.

"I am sorry for ruining your sleep, I know how much you treasure it..." the raven-haired boy uttered, "but I didn't know it was you either."

...

Emi patted Aizawa's cheek a few times while calling out, "Shota." There was no respond, so she started pushing pressure to his chest. The whole crack-the-tank act caused quite a noise, it concerned her if the villain comes in there is no way she can fight them all alone.

Aizawa slowly sighed, turning a soft smile to the ceiling. 

After some time, Aizawa started coughing out water. Emi sighed in relief and started catching her breath. "Well, this is an awkward reunion," she muttered, "but I hope you're okay cause we're in the villain's base." Aizawa sighed as he slowly pushed himself up, trying if his lungs are still working, "Said the one who got caught earlier than me."

He giggled. 

"At least I don't end up in a fish tank!" Emi slightly yelled, "Look at you, you're all soaked." Aizawa chuckled leaving Emi startled. It's the first time for her to see him laugh like that. "What?" she asked. Aizawa shook his head, "Nothing," he said, standing up, "we gotta go."

...

Aizawa smirked, "Don't underestimate me, kid," he said proudly, "I'm stronger than you think I am, might as well be the next symbol of peace."

Emi laughed hardly. She softly flicked her index finger to Aizawa's forehead, "More like symbol of sleep." The raven-haired hero chuckled.

...

"I...must be the dumbest human alive," Aizawa muttered. 

When he was trying to sit up, ashes from the cigar stuck to his lips fell to his face, entering his eyes. Aizawa hissed, sitting up. Rubbing his eyes violently with a palm as he placed the remaining cigar on the nightstand. 

He speed-walked to the bathroom with one eye open, still rubbing the other one. "It's been confirmed, I really am the dumbest human alive," he muttered, trying to water his already watery eyes, trying to clean the ash away.