Under the Red Hood

Laid to Rest

The day was an ugly one. The sky, gray with dark clouds covering the area the sun had tried to shine through. The grass and dirt soaked by the constant falling of rain. Aizawa tightened his jaw, blank eyes staring at his muddied all black dress shoes. His focus purely on what he thought was the most important part of his attire. He did not want to recognize the muffled sobs that took up the atmosphere nor did he want to the hear the words of the elderly man near him.

Spouting off words like peace, loss, and God. He hated the last word especially, for what God would allow this? Finally he forced his gaze upward catching the shining gloss of two dark mahogany coffins dangling over dark pits. A strained sigh came from his lips, his hands shoved into the pockets of his dress pants.

"Shhhh... its ok Eri..."

Glancing to the right he spotted where the muffled sobs had been coming from. Eri, the young girl cuddled into Nemuri's embrace. Both the older woman and child wearing black, after all it was a funeral. Clenching his hidden fists he put his head back down, no matter what he did the impact of his failure would continue to haunt him. Eri was a reminder of that failure.

"Now is there anyone who would like to say a few words about the deceased." The elderly man from before spoke loudly. One hand clutching a bible and the other a rosary. A priest by all account his attire only solidifying this notion.

A minute passed and not one person had stepped forward, many didn't want to and others were still grieving. Finally he took the step forward finally raising his head, "I do." His feet splashed in the small puddles around him as he moved to the podium the priest had been standing behind. Taking the stand he looked to his audience. Other than Nemuri and Eri both heroic classes were in attendance, along with them All Might, Vlad King, Present Mic, Nezu and lastly Mitsuki Bakugou.

He noted the crying faces a bitter thought entering his mind. 'Why did they even bother?' His class, and All Might had no business being here, they were part of why Izuku left that day. Still he kept his lips closed only opening them after a moment passed. "Izuku and Inko Midoriya were the best of this world... When i first met Mrs. Midoriya i saw a woman who would sacrifice everything for her family, a woman who despite not being rich and had little power did everything she could to raise her son into a man. This world was robbed of a sweet woman who had done nothing wrong..." He paused thanking the rain for covering the small tears leaking from his eyes. "And Izuku... the word hero didn't apply to him in the slightest, because he was much more than just another hero. I initially thought nothing of Izuku when i first saw him, but time and time again he proved not only me wrong but everyone around him wrong as well. There wasn't anyone Izuku wouldn't try to save." Aizawa looked over to Eri, the young girl while still crying looked him straight in the eyes. "I saw Izuku save an abused and frightened girl with no regards for his safety. I saw him take care of that girl better than any other father I've seen before. And i believe he is still out there, fighting to come back to us..."

Aizawa finished, there were no applause because it was not needed. His words hung in the air with conviction and those who had turned their backs on Izuku had been overcome with guilt. Stepping back Aizawa returned to his spot on the grass. He would find Izuku not matter what the league threw his way.

.

"..." Izuku stood silent hair covered by a thick black hood, his face outfitted in a tight red mask covering the lower portion of his face. His eyes glistening with tears, a few drops streaking down towards his cheeks. 'Im sorry.' All he could do was apologize, hearing his daughter cry her lungs out and Aizawa speech had sent him to the edge.

Perhaps there was a reason people claimed that there was happiness to be found in death. When you die you cant hear the cries of your family or friends. You cant watch as they break down in front of your coffin crying for you to come back.

'I...' His foot inched forward. He could run down there, he could reveal that he had lived and take his daughter back into his arms. That would be what his mom wanted. He knew that becoming the Red Hood would lead him down a path of watching over his shoulder. A life where death would become a constant variable. To his mother that wasn't life and he would agree with her.

But every time he closes his eyes he could see himself back in that warehouse. Not just him but Eri, Nemuri, Mei, Itsuka, Reiko, Aizawa... The list went on, he could imagine himself watching as they got tortured. He couldn't let that future come to pass, but he couldn't do what he needed to do if he revealed that he was alive.

Bringing his foot back Izuku continued watching as the funeral service came to a close. He watched everyone leave one by one Aizawa being the last to do so. It hurt watching Eri disappear into the distance but he knew she was in good hands. He trusted her in the hands of Nemuri and the others. It was only after everyone had left did he make his approach leaving the hillside that was just out of sight. Passing the gravestones of several other departed souls he came to stop at his mother's grave. The coffin having already been lowered into its final resting place.

Stepping toward the headstone he placed his hand on the black marble material. He had assumed U.A paid for this funeral and a small amount of gratefulness welled in his chest. "Sorry Mom, I know you always said you'll watch over me but please don't watch what I'm going to do next."

Taking his hand off Izuku turned to his grave. Like his mother he had been given a coffin. Jumping down into the pit Izuku pried the box open, curious as to what they buried in his stead. When he finally busted it open Izuku froze. His hero suit lay inside along with several pictures ranging from family photos, to him as a kid, but one stuck out most to him. It was a small picture of him and Eri, the two of them holding up a certificate of adoption. "Fuck..." He put a hand to his face, he couldn't leave this photo behind. It was a memory of who he was, and who he wanted to protect more than anyone in the world.

Taking the photo in his hand Izuku stuffed it into the pocket of the jeans he had been wearing. Slamming the lid closed Izuku climbed out of the grave and once he reached the outside again he took a handful of dirt. Holding out his hand he let the dirt fall onto the coffin.

"No turning back..."

A/N: Short chapter but know that Izuku has been buried its time for Red Hood to make his debut.