A light in the void (my hero academia)

Slipping away

"I will not stand down while you go out there." Aizawa's voice cut through the room. A dangerous edge to his tone that suggested that he wasn't going to change his mind anytime soon.

They were in the middle of a meeting. Nezu, detective Tsukauchi, and All Might were discussing their plans. They wanted to check out the location they got from a witness while Aizawa distracted and mislead the villains with a press conference.

"Aizawa, you need to understand that even if you'll be doing the press conference, you'll be a crucial part of the plan." Nedzu countered him calmly, having expected the latter's outburst.

"I don't care!" The underground hero slammed his fist on the table, the objects lying on it rattling with the resulting tremors. "Izuku is out there right now! My son is out there! He might be dead for all we know and I will not stay here and do nothing if I can be out there helping with his rescue!" The room's occupants all showed various signs of shock. After all, it was the first time they'd seen Aizawa be so worked up. Usually, the man didn't show any emotions, his feelings hidden behind a carefully crafted blank facade.

All Might's clenched his fists in frustration, knuckles white, blood trickled to the ground as his nails pierced his palm.

He was useless, his successor was fighting for his life while he did absolutely nothing. His guilt was eating away at him. He couldn't imagine what Aizawa was going through. The underground hero was there, after all.

"What do you suggest we do then, we need someone at that press conference. How are we going to explain the absence of Class 1-A's own homeroom teacher?" Tsukauchi asked in retort.

"They don't know what I look like. For all they know, Eraserhead could be anyone." Aizawa responded calmly, his features contorting back to their natural blankness. "I need to be there!"

He couldn't just stay here, knowing that he could help Izuku. It was his own shortcomings that allowed the boy to be taken. He once swore to keep his kid safe no matter what and he failed once again. He wasn't going to make that mistake another time.

"Very well, you may go with All might to the raid. However, your role will be solely focused on the rescue. I don't trust you to hold back if you got your hands on any of the league's members." The rat relented, he knew that the hero wasn't going to back down anytime soon. Time was running out, they couldn't afford to wait anymore.

After all, Izuku Midoriya's life was on the line.

______________________________

The world spun as consciousness slowly seeped back into him. He found himself back in the holding cell. He wasn't chained like last time, though; his knees were touching the ground this time. A great relief to his abused shoulders.

The grey walls trapping him were a strange, yet welcomed change from the constant darkness he was previously held in.

He didn't know at which point he passed out. It was most likely after the seventh time All for one banished him to the dark orb. The last time, they let him stay there for what felt like an eternity.

His body involuntarily shuddered at the mere memory. The darkness, that void, made him wish for any kind of escape. He'd stand there, bathed in complete, utter obscurity, crying, begging for any force out there to just make it stop. The pain, the despair, putting an end to it all!

These dark thoughts haunted his mind through it all, the sweet pull and luring invitation of relief tempting him to give in. Yet, he didn't. He stood his ground, steeling himself and enduring the agonizing experience. He needed to hold on, he needed to persist and bear the suffering. The heroes would come, right? They'd come and save him... Right? Some part of him whispered that they weren't coming. That he will die here, all alone.