The rest of the weekend spent at the Aizawa-Yamada residence was thankfully uneventful. By that, Izuku meant that he avoided any meaningful interaction with the other two. Coming out of the guest room only when specifically asked to, eating in relative silence before slipping back into the solitude of the bubble he has secluded himself in. His eyes were framed by dark bruises, evidence of his continuous lack of sleep. After the episode he'd had the day before, there was no way he was going to allow himself another moment of weakness.
Monday finally dawned, Izuku was already more than ready to get out of this place, even if it meant going to school instead.
He could feel some sort of tension hanging in the air as he greeted the two heroes that morning. They both appeared to want to discuss something but seemed reluctant to do so. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth though.
It wasn't until they were in the car, finally pulling up to UA's gates that Eraserhead spoke.
"Are you sure that your father will be home by the time school's out?" He regarded the man quietly at that, wondering if it was normal for children to be that fretted over. Tilting his head to the side, he tried to sound as normal as possible.
"Yes, Aizawa-san, if everything goes according to plan, then he'll be home in a few hours." Or at least, that's what the General had ordered him to say. They didn't need to know that, however.
"Good, I'll be driving you home, so wait for me by the gates at the end of the day, alright?" That made him pause, what was Aizawa's plan here? Did he want to make sure that he was telling the truth?
"That's unnecessary," He countered cautiously. "I can walk." He's been doing it since the start of term, after all. What changed?
"It's not negotiable, problem child, I want to talk to your father anyway." He could feel his mind go blank, what was he supposed to say to that?
"Understood." He agreed, knowing that arguing any more would only draw unwanted suspicion. He'd just have to send a warning to the General. He would have to pay for the oversight later, but for now, the Dragon would know what to do. With that, he opened the car door, exiting the vehicle before any more conversation could take place. His neck prickles at the blatant disrespect but he marched on.
The door to class 1-C was a welcome sight as he crossed its threshold. He found his seat easily, ignoring any gaze drawn his way as he sat down, Mic, was just a few steps behind him as they had gotten out of the car together.
The lesson started without much fanfare, the teacher shooting him a couple of strange gazes throughout the lecture. He couldn't quite place the meaning behind the expression.
"Hey," A familiar voice called, turning to face him. "Are you..." He seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment as if searching for the correct words. "Are you okay? I mean, of course you weren't but-" Shinsou faltered. "What I'm trying to say is, sorry, I guess. I didn't mean for you to get hurt, and I'm not really sure what happened." He finished, his face earnest in his apology. Izuku supposes that if he were anyone else, he would have been touched. As it stood, the words didn't do much to move him.
"Okay." He said, and at the odd look he got in return, he continued. "I accept your apology." That's how normal people were supposed to react, right?
He was saved from any further interaction quite ironically, by the bell. Packing his meager belongings, he didn't waste any time exiting the room. Debating the advantages of going to the lunch room, he turned and headed in the opposite direction. Following a winding staircase that leads to the levels above, he soon found himself standing in front of the rooftop entrance. An electrical lock secured the door but no cameras were in sight. He supposes even schools as great as UA had to have some security blind spots. He'd have to come back another day and set up one of his own. Protecting this school was somewhat on his list of orders, after all.
For now, he settled his attention on the lock in front of him. Drawing out his phone, he made quick work of connecting it to the electrical box, it didn't take long before he'd hacked into the structure, making sure not to leave any trace behind as he slipped inside, giving himself administration access in case of future endeavors.
The wind was soft, the sun just out of reach, making the rooftop the perfect place to rest for a while. He let himself drop into a seated position, back to the wall as he gazed at the campus stretching out in front of him. It never failed to surprise him, just how big this school was. Even the training facilities hadn't been that vast.
He waited a moment before getting to the task he came up here to complete. The phone rang only twice before it was picked up.
"I don't suppose you have some good news for me." Was the sentence that greeted him. Dragon's voice was low, tired, and angry.
"My teacher wants to drop me off at the apartment after school, his goal is to speak to my guardian."
A heavy, frustrated sigh was his response. "And let me guess, you couldn't find a way to dissuade him?"
"No, sir."
"You really are useless." The words were made to slither beneath his defenses, to sting, and yet, he felt nothing. The line died with no further fanfare, the remaining beeping serving to ground him as he looked onto the horizon. He supposes that went relatively better than he expected.
The day at UA continued, and Midoriya maintained his distance from Shinsou, and avoided any meaningful interaction with his teachers.
That afternoon, as the final bell rang and students poured out of the classrooms, Midoriya made his way to the school gates as instructed by Aizawa. He stood there, hands in his pockets, waiting in silence. It didn't take long for Aizawa's car to pull up.
The car ride home was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Aizawa glanced at Midoriya occasionally, clearly wanting to discuss something but hesitant to do so. Midoriya, on the other hand, remained stoic and distant. He couldn't help but feel that Aizawa was growing suspicious, and he needed to tread carefully.
As they neared their destination, Aizawa finally spoke up. "I expect your guardian to be home when we arrive."
Midoriya nodded, his voice monotone. "He should be."
Aizawa's gaze bore into Midoriya, his eyes narrowing slightly as he hummed shortly.
Midoriya knew he had to be careful. He had no idea what the General's plan was, but he couldn't let Aizawa get too close to the truth.
The car came to a stop in front of his apartment building, having shown Aizawa the way as they went along, and both of them got out. Midoriya led the walk inside, feeling a sense of unease settling in. He knew that somehow, even despite the distance, the General would have taken care of the issue, he just hoped that it would work out.
Drawing out his keys, he hesitated, before finally relenting and twisting the lock, the door opening slowly before them.
Aizawa followed him inside, his eyes scanning the apartment. "I'll wait to speak with your guardian." He remained in the doorway.
"I'm home." He spoke, knowing that it was expected of someone who was supposedly used to living with other people.
A moment of silence greeted his call before finally a noise was heard on the other side of the hallway. Midoriya could feel the weight of Aizawa's curiosity.
"Ah, Welcome home, my boy." A familiar voice called out, steps heavy as none other than Colonel Axel made his way towards them. He couldn't suppress the full-body flinch that overtook him as the man's arms encircled his form, bringing him to his chest in a caricaturesque impression of what he supposed was a hug. His skin crawled at the contact, the hair on his arm standing on end as he counted the seconds in his mind.
Axel stood starkly in the darkness of the hall, his attire brought out a great strangeness as Midoriya had never seen him in casual wear before.
"Mr Aizawa, this is-"
"Akatani Axel, at your service." The colonel interrupted, probably anticipating his use of pre-fix. It made his face twist as Axel, the ruthless commander who's overseen his training all these years, now acted perfectly pleasant in front of the hero. "I believe thanks are in order, I've been told you took care of my wayward son while I was out of town." The word 'son' felt wrong as it was spat from his mouth, rather forcefully.
Aizawa, in turn, was cautiously pleasant. He hadn't known what to expect of the man, given past phone calls, but this wasn't it. "It's nice to meet you in person, Akatani-san, and yes, Mikumo unfortunately got hurt during a training exercise, we, at UA, couldn't in good conscience let him stay on his own while he was somewhat injured."
Axel maintained a friendly facade, nodding. "Yes, as expected from a school as prestigious as UA." The man replied, his words not matching the cold look that remained, despite his effort, seared into his gaze.
Aizawa's eyes shifted back to Midoriya, who remained silent. "We want what's best for him. As one of his teachers, his well-being is my priority. You understand, of course." He offered, somehow feeling the tension rising, despite the smile that stretched the man's features.
"Of course," Axel repeated not unpleasantly.
The silence stretched for a few uncomfortable moments as both men held eye contact. Izuku, for his part, was looking silently between the two, wondering if he should perhaps interject.
"Ah, where are my manners, would you like to come in for tea, Aizawa-san?" Axel seemed to snap out of his momentary stupor.
"No, thank you, I'll be taking my leave. My intentions were just to make sure Akatani got home alright." Shooting one last long look at Akatani, a silent message in his eyes, he bid them a good night and departed. Leaving Axel and Midoriya alone in the apartment. As the door closed, Axel's pleasant demeanor vanished, and a more sinister look crossed his face.
"You're walking a dangerous line, Arctic," Axel hissed, his voice low and threatening. "You need to stop making mistakes and showing weakness. This mission is crucial, and we can't afford any more slip-ups. Am I being absolutely clear? Perhaps you need a reminder of the consequences that complement such failures." His dark tone hid nothing to the imagination.
Midoriya nodded mutely, his face devoid of emotion. He knew the consequences of failure all too well.
Axel continued, "Now suit up. We have a mission to prepare for. The League of Villains is said to be gathering new recruits, and you're going to spy on them. Make sure you don't mess this one up." He snarled, turning on his heels back into the apartment.
With a cold warning hanging in the air, Midoriya began to prepare for the mission ahead, knowing that his life as Akatani Mikumo and his role as Arctic were becoming increasingly entangled, and the web of deception was growing more complex with each passing day.
________________________________________
As Midoriya hastily prepared for the mission, the weight of Axel's threats bore down on him. His hands were steady as he donned the Arctic suit, a costume that masked his true identity and purpose, but his thoughts were anything but calm.
The image of Axel, his former trainer and tormentor, now playing the role of his guardian, was unsettling. It was a stark reminder of the tangled web of secrets and lies that he had been entangled in for years. The General had trained him to be a weapon, to carry out covert missions and infiltrate the enemy's ranks, but it had come at a great cost.
Midoriya had experienced unspeakable horrors during his training, and Axel's role in those horrors was etched into his memory. It was Axel who had pushed him to kill for the first time during a mission, a moment that he had somehow repressed and forgotten, until recently. Still, his chest remained void, a hollowness not unlike that of a black hole, sucking away and devouring any hint of emotion surging from within him.
Now, he found himself in a mission to spy on the League of Villains, a dangerous and unpredictable group. He couldn't afford to make any more mistakes, not with Axel watching his every move. The consequences of failure were too dire to contemplate.
Once he was fully suited up, Midoriya made his way back to the living room, where Axel was waiting, his expression still cold and unyielding. There was a sense of urgency in the air, and Midoriya knew he couldn't afford to delay any longer.
"Ready to go, Sir," Midoriya said, his voice steadier than he felt, as he stood before Axel.
The Colonel nodded, the tension in the room palpable. "Remember, Arctic, you need to blend in and gather information without being detected. If you fail, it won't just be your life on the line. The mission is crucial to our cause."
Midoriya's gaze remained fixed on Axel, a silent acknowledgment of the stakes involved. He knew that the General's plans were far-reaching and that the mission held a key to their success.
With a curt nod, Axel opened the door, and the two of them left the apartment, heading out into the night.
As they ventured into the darkness, Midoriya couldn't help but wonder if there would ever be a way to escape the web of secrets and lies that had ensnared him, or if he was destined to remain a pawn in a dangerous game.
For now, he would focus on the task ahead.