Aero (a BNHA OC story)

Chapter 13

A small, appreciative smile crept onto Kenzo's face as he sighed, admiring his friend's unyielding resolve in the face of adversity.

However the guilt didn't fade. There was so much more he needed to tell Shin, and little did he know, time was running out.

...

"Hey Aizawa," Kenzo waved at the tired teacher slinking into the almost empty staff room.

"Hey. Everything went alright yesterday?" Aizawa asked, busying himself with the coffee machine.

"Yeah, it's been sorted. Mostly."

Aizawa hummed in response, sitting on the couch opposite.

"Wish I could've seen the sports festival though. I heard there were some awesome matches. And the fiasco with Bakugo."

"He reminds me of you," Aizawa spoke suddenly.

As Aizawa said this, Kenzo nearly spat out his coffee, choking harshly.

"What?! He's nothing like me!"

Aizawa rolled his eyes, "Maybe not in your overall attitude but definitely in the cockiness. Remember how cocky you were in your second year after you did that advert? Tomo hated you so much that year he—"

"He started an Instagram account just to post bad mugshots of me," Kenzo grinned. "Although he only racked up about 2 bad photos. I looked awesome in all the other ones."

"See? Cocky," Aizawa mused as he sipped his coffee.

Kenzo leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, Bakugo may have the cockiness, but I'm pretty sure he hasn't had an Instagram account started for his bad mugshots yet."

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "Give him time. He's still a first-year."

The two shared a brief laugh before Aizawa's expression turned more serious. "In all seriousness, though, you did well with the students. They responded positively to your training, and the matches were intense. It's good to have you back, even if it's just temporarily."

The two shared a moment of companionable silence, sipping their coffee. The hum of the staff room's air conditioning and distant chatter from the hallway filled the space.

Aizawa's expression turned serious, "On a different note, how's Shin holding up? This League of Villains business must have him on edge."

Kenzo leaned forward, "He's shaken, but he's tough. We're taking extra precautions, and Nezu is beefing up security around him."

Aizawa nodded, "Good. We can't afford any slip-ups, especially with the League involved."

As their conversation unfolded, the staff room door creaked open, revealing Midnight's entrance with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Ikari, your old fans are losing it after your sports festival appearance. My whole For You page is flooded with edits of you winking at the camera." She playfully pointed her phone screen towards him.

Kenzo chuckled as he watched the videos on Midnight's phone, "Well, this is a new development."

"It's not a bad look, though," she laughed, giving him a sly wink.

Aizawa groaned, "Don't encourage him, Nemuri."

Kenzo couldn't resist a playful smirk as he flicked his golden hair, "I'm just giving the people what they want."

Midnight laughed, "Well, keep it interesting. It's been too dull around here lately."

As they bantered, the door swung open again, revealing Present Mic with a burst of energy. "Hey, hey, what's all the noise in here?"

Kenzo grinned, "Just catching up on the glamour of being an accidental internet sensation."

"Accidental? You winked like a pro," Midnight teased.

"Pro or not, we have more pressing matters at hand," Aizawa interjected with a deadpan expression, trying to steer the conversation back to business.

Present Mic leaned against the doorframe, a lighthearted smile on his face. "A little diversion is good for the soul, Shota. Loosen up!"

Kenzo joined in, "Yeah, Aizawa, even you can't resist the charm of a well-executed wink."

Aizawa sighed, realising that convincing them to focus might be an uphill battle. "Why do I even bother?"

The playful banter continued, each comment adding a layer of camaraderie to the room. Despite the challenges they faced, this impromptu gathering served as a reminder that, sometimes, a bit of lightheartedness was necessary.

"Ikari, are you free the whole of next week?" Aizawa's voice cut through the lingering chatter as the teachers dispersed.

Kenzo's playful grin emerged. "Why, do you want to ask me out on a date?"

Aizawa responded with his trademark dry humor, washing up the mugs left behind. "Ha ha, you're hilarious. Vlad and I are taking the first years to a training camp, and we could use some extra help. Toshinori can't come because it'll attract too much attention."

Kenzo's grin remained. "Sure, I'll come."

Little did he know, he had signed himself up for something terrible.

(1313 words)