Part 4

Past—Before the Sports Festival

Izuku knew something was wrong the moment that Hawks walked into the classroom. In general, Izuku had a hard time reading Hawks, but other the past few weeks, Izuku has learned to recognize Hawks's fake smile from his real one. He'd learned to spot a few of his tells and could tell at a glance if Hawks was being genuinely himself or using his 'people' mask. But none of that was enough to actually understand what was going on in his head. Hawks was a mystery. He talked with them all the time, but never talked about himself unless he was asked directly. Uraraka had gotten good at drawing out answers from Hawks, slowly collecting bits and pieces of who he truly was in front of her like she was collecting pieces to a puzzle. A puzzle that had too many missing pieces and too many edges. Even so, Hawks was still almost impossible to read, keeping his expression tightly under control at all times, even when he was scared or hurting.

Which was why Izuku was so alarmed the second Hawks had stepped into the classroom, looking miserable and ill. Hawks gave a small, mechanical wave at the rest of the class, before walking to his desk and immediately flopped down onto his chair without a word. He looked awful, his skin pale and sweaty, with dark circles around his eyes.

"Hawks?" Izuku asked nervously, twisting around in his seat when he didn't receive an answer. "A-are you okay?"

A golden eye blinked open. "That… is a very subjective question."

"Huh?" Izuku asked, taken aback by the flat inflection and the obvious congestion in Hawk's voice.

"I'm fine," Hawks said with a sigh. He sat up a little straighter, so he wasn't half lying on his desk and pressed a hand to his head. "What are the chances Aizawa-sensei will let me sleep through class? Can he even see with all of the…" he trailed off and gestured vaguely at his face.

It was at that moment that Aizawa made his appearance, sleeping bag draped over one of the casts on his arms. "Kirishima, sit down before I have to explain to your parents how you survived a villain attack, only to break your neck falling off a desk."

Kirishima almost did fall of the desk he'd climbed onto as he got back down. The death glare that Aizawa gave him was doubly impressive, considering that his eyes weren't entirely visible from under the bandages.

"Not very good," Izuku said ruefully. He forced himself to turn away from Hawks and pay attention as Aizawa started his lecture.

Unease churned in his stomach as the class went on. He really wanted to check on Hawks, but he couldn't turn around without drawing Aizawa's attention and ire, which was probably the last thing Hawks wanted at the moment. So instead, he chewed on his lip and focused what Aizawa was saying.

Near the end of the lecture Aizawa paused abruptly, straightening from where he'd been hunched over in front of the podium. "Is my lecture disturbing your nap time, Hawks?" He growled.

Hawks startled and fell out of his chair, causing the class to erupt in chuckles. It wasn't the first time Aizawa had caught someone napping in class. Turning, Izuku jolted out of his chair when he saw the blank confusion in the other Hawks's face as he pressed his back to the nearest wall, eyes wide with fear. The confusion disappeared almost at once and Hawks tried to laugh it off weakly, but the damage was done.

"Meet me outside after class, problem child number 2," Aizawa said, radiating concern. He'd been watching the class closely since USJ, constantly on the lookout for signs of trauma. Hawks wouldn't be the first student he'd pulled assigned to talk about it, but Izuku didn't think that was the issue this time. "Everyone else, get back in your seats."

Most of the class obeyed, but Izuku and Yaoyoruzu hovered in concern as Hawks stumbled on shaky legs back to his seat. The second he was sitting down, Yaoyoruzu pressed a hand to his forehead. "Sensei, I think Hawks has a fever."

Aizawa sighed, giving up on finishing his lecture and instead walking over to Hawks. He gently tapped Hawks's forehead with his one of his casts but didn't get much of a reaction beyond a weak swat. "Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, escort Hawks to Recovery Girl's office."

When Hawks didn't object beyond a tired "huh?" Izuku grabbed him by the elbow and slung his arm over his shoulder. Yaoyorozu took Hawks's other side and together they maneuvered him out of the classroom, accepting the note excusing them for being late to the next class from Aizawa without a word.

Halfway to Recovery Girl, Izuku ended up slinging Hawks onto his back when it became clear that Hawks wasn't going to make it on his own power. He wasn't even conscious when Recovery Girl ushered them inside, although Izuku had a feeling he had fallen asleep, not passed out. Recovery Girl didn't let them stay long after they got Hawks situated on the bed, but she told them they could come back after school was over.

"He's in good hands now," Yaoyorozu said, placing a hand on Izuku's shoulder to guide Izuku forward to their next class. "We can come back later to check on him."

Izuku nodded and allowed himself to be shepherded to their classroom, but he couldn't help but worry. Did this have something to do with his injuries from USJ? Recovery Girl had healed him, but Izuku couldn't help but worry.

"He'll be fine," Iida said confidently as they returned to the classroom, launching into a spiel about self-care and healthy eating habits that Izuku tuned out.

Izuku knew Iida was probably right, but inwardly he was still concerned. Hawks had always seemed so unflappable, even in the middle of USJ. To see him so exhausted and sick was worrisome, especially since Hawks had a tendency to try and downplay anyone's concern for his own wellbeing. Still, Izuku had plenty of firsthand experience with how capable Recovery Girl was. Hawks would be okay.

Present: Press Junket

Toshinori peered out at the buzzing throng of the press and tried to remind himself that he'd faced scarier things. All for One had definitely been scarier, he told himself.

Principle Nedzu chuckled next to him. "I would not have suggested this if I did not think you were capable of handling it."

"I know." Toshinori fiddled with his tie.

"You've always done well handling the press in the past," Nedzu continued, his amusement grating at Toshinori's nerves.

"I have." Toshinori coughed into a handkerchief and prayed silently that he could make it through the press conference without spewing blood.

"Toshinori," Nedzu said, tugging on his pant legs to get his attention. "You are going to do wonderfully."

The cue for him to take the stage came before Toshinori could answer. Sucking in as deep a breath as he dared, Toshinori stood to his full height and strode onto the stage confidently, the picture of calm assurance. It was difficult to pull off in his natural form, but All Might's muscled body wasn't what the press and public needed to see, not for this.

The moment he took the stage, someone started clapping. As more people joined in, the crowd rose to their feet in a wave that washed through the entire audience until not a single person who could stand was left in their chairs. Toshinori couldn't see the audience very well through the blinding glare of light pouring directly onto the stage, but he could feel admiration and respect rolling off the audience in waves. Admiration and respect for him.

Toshinori stumbled in shock. He was reminded again with a jolt of pain how badly he had underestimated the general public. If everyone had rejected him after Kamino, he it would not have surprised him. He could handle their disappointment. If the whole world had turned their backs on him, he would still have Midoriya, Hawks, and the UA staff. Instead, his popularity had reached unpresented levels after Kamino, soaring to new heights that he hadn't reached even had during his prime. It was incredibly humbling; so much more than he deserved.

The cheering slowed to a low trickle as Toshinori took his place at the podium. He was the only one on the stage. Nedzu had remained backstage since it had been decided to distance UA from the raid on the Commission facility as much as possible. Endeavor should have been the one doing this, but he was still investigating the facility, leaving it up to Toshinori to keep the public calm.

A new age was coming. Hero society was on the brink of either evolving for the better or collapsing completely and it was up to Toshinori to give it a push in the right direction. No one else could do it. Despite being the new number one, Endeavor didn't have the trust of the public or the disposition to handle the situation and Nedzu didn't have the sway necessary to change the tide. It was all on him.

"Thank you for joining me today," Toshinori said, staring out at the bright lights all pointed at his face. "I am sure that many of you are already aware that this morning at 3:00 A.M., a group of heroes led by Endeavor conducted a raid on an office building with the assistance of the police. In actuality, that building was an illegal training facility belonging to a faction of the Hero Public Safety Commission."

The room erupted in shouting. Toshinori held up a hand and the noise stopped abruptly, except for the incessant clicking of hundreds of cameras. He took a calming breath and continued. "The raid was organized after we received information that one of the students at UA, who shall remain anonymous for their own protection, was being held there against their will. The student managed to send a message asking for help and stating that they feared for their life to one of their classmates, who then informed the teachers at UA."

It wasn't a lie, despite the fact that Hawks's text had not stated it outright. For Hawks to ask for help after keeping his teachers and his classmates in the dark for so long was very telling. Toshinori clenched his fists, frustrated at his inability to help directly with the rescue.

He's fine now. Toshinori reminded himself. The texts he'd received from Aizaza hadn't given any information about Hawks's condition when they'd found him, except that he was in alive and in safe hands.

"Based on the information that we received, we were able to obtain a permit for the raid, which took place a few hours later. During the raid, we rescued thirty-two children ages four to twelve, in addition to UA's missing student. The children are currently being treated for a variety of injuries at a hospital that will remain nameless for their protection, while the UA student was taken back to the school for security reasons." Toshinori paused just long enough to cough into his hand. Bracing himself as he mentally prepared to share the rest of the information they'd decided to release, he took a shallow breath and continued. "Parents, if you have a young child with you, I must ask that if you have a young child with you at present, please have them leave the room and use your best discretion on whether or not your older children are prepared to hear what I am about to say. It is quite disturbing."

He told them how Hawks had been illegally sold to the Commission at a young age, who put him in a 'training program' which was supposed to create the next generation of 'perfect' heroes. They had forced him to endure severe emotional and physical abuse, even torture, in a training program designed to produce child soldiers. Some of the children in the program had died. They'd found three bodies in a morgue, all in their teens. If the raid had happened a few hours later, there might have been four. By the time he was done giving all of the information that they had decided to share during the conference, the press was almost as livid as Toshinori felt.

There was no greater evil in the world than harming an innocent child. Toshinori had received Hawks's Commission file from Endeavor an hour before the press conference and he still hadn't managed to process it. What he had read had painted a picture of cruelty and brutality that he could scarcely fathom. He tried reconcile with the image of Hawks he had in his head, smiling and laughing with his friends, with what he had read, and failed miserably.

Think about it later, Toshinori told himself firmly.

"We are currently investigating how far the corruption in the Commission runs. The investigation is being led by top heroes and some of the best men and women the police have to offer," Toshinori continued. "Until the investigation is complete, we will be suspending all Commission activities until the investigation is complete."

A murmur of shock ran through the crowd.

"In the meantime, a panel of civilians, pro-heroes, and police will be handling all essential duties that the Commission performed, including handling provisional and pro tests and licensing," Toshinori said, forcing himself to remain calm as he got to the hard part. "I myself will be on that panel. We will do our best to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible during this difficult time. Furthermore, I have been selected to head the review board that will be looking into the Commission's crimes, while Endeavor will be working with the police on collecting evidence for the formal court case. Rest assured, we will not rest until we have weeded out the corruption that has been allowed to take root in the Hero Public Safety Commission and justice has been served."

Toshinori gripped the podium and allowed his shoulders to sag just slightly. "I know this is a frightening time and that your trust in Hero Society has been shaken. Some of you are angry. Some of you have been hurt, not just by the Commission, but by society as a whole. It is tempting in these trying times to want everything to be dealt with quickly and brushed back under the rug, so that society can return to normal. I disagree."

No one made a sound. He had their complete attention. Good.

"It is time to confront a simple truth; Hero Society has failed us. Those who are powerful have been pushed into the top, while those without power or who do not confirm to society's idealization of what is 'heroic' are shoved to the sidelines and marginalized. Hero Society has protected many, yet it has hurt our most vulnerable citizens. No more." Toshinori was either going to give Hero Society the push it needed to start reforms, or he was going to incite a revolution. There was no going back now. "For years now, I have served as your Symbol of Peace. I did my utmost to save and protect all lives, not just because it was a duty entrusted to me, but because I believe with everything that I am that everyone has inherent value, that everyone deserves to live in safety and peace. I have sacrificed everything that I have in order to ensure that peace and safety continues, and I do not regret it, not for a moment."

He paused, letting them take in the emancipated, broken body in front of them to let his point sink in. "My time as the Symbol of Peace is over, but my work is not done. The time for hiding our sins in the dark and hoping that the next generation will be able to correct our mistakes is over. If we see injustice in the world, if we see wrongdoings, it is time to speak up. It is time to bring the sickness of society, which has thrived and festered in the dark, out into the light for the world to see. It will not be pretty. Pillars of our very society may topple as the truth is brought out. There is something I must ask of all citizens—I must ask you to be brave. I must ask you to fight with us."

Toshinori wished he could see the audience better. He couldn't see the faces in the crowd, so he was forced to hope desperately that his words were getting through.

"Please, join with me in shining a light in the dark, abandoned parts of our society. Help me correct these wrongs. I know that you have been ignored in the past and that no one has believed you, but I will. If you have been hurt, I will listen. If you have been wronged, I will fight to correct it. I believe that we as a society can change for the better and I believe that with your help, those changes are within reach. Please, believe in us. Be strong in the days ahead. Come forward. Allow us to help you. And remember..."

Toshinori had to pause as he coughed into his hand, blood coating his fingers when he was finally able to draw breath again. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his hand clean, hoping that no one had noticed. He caught his breath, looked back up at the audience, and smiled. "I am often asked, 'what does it take to be a hero?' My answer has changed over the years, but I am certain now that this is the answer: It does not take great power or great talent or ability to be a hero. All it takes is a courageous heart filled with kindness and a spirit that cannot look away in the face of wrongdoing. Even if our heroes, our society as a whole, fails us, there will always be heroes that we can depend on, because there will always be those who cannot stand by and do nothing in the face of evil. So please, no matter what dark truths come out in the coming days, do not lose your faith in heroes. Continue to believe in us. And most important of all, never forget; anyone can be a hero. Anyone."

Had he reached them? He glanced at where Nedzu was standing off the stage and was relieved to see that he was smiling.

"I will now take questions."

The room erupted.

Let this be enough, Toshinori prayed.

Past—After Hosu

Hawks wasn't okay. When he'd returned to the Commission after the events at Hosu, he knew he'd be punished. He just hadn't expected it would be… that. The minute the agents had arrived to pick him up from the house he stayed at during school nights, he'd known something was off, but he'd had no choice. Disobedience could have been deadly. So, he'd gone with them.

The punishment had been bad. Hawks could handle that. Before the weekend had ended, they had him healed up and got him ready to return to school, but he had still been sick and hurting, phantom pain from his healed wounds throbbing in time with his heartbeat. That was fine too. He was used to the aftereffects of a healing session with the Commission. Getting sick was a little more problematic, but he had years of practice hiding illness from the Commission, so he wasn't worried. The real problem was, they hadn't let him sleep all weekend.

He'd gone days without sleep before as part of his training, but the combination of getting sick while his body was weakened from a rather strenuous healing session and the fact that he hadn't gotten any sleep had hit him harder than he'd anticipated. Which was why he was currently vomiting what little he'd been given for breakfast into a bucket in the UA infirmary, sicker than he had ever gotten since his bout with pneumonia when he was nine.

"You're sure this has nothing to do with his encounter with Stain?" Aizawa asked Recovery Girl again. Hawks was still shocked that Aizawa took the trouble to check on him in the infirmary, but after the last couple of times he'd gotten sent there, it was less alarming.

He'd been convinced that Aizawa had come to punish or expel him for being weak the first time he had ended up in the infirmary after USJ, but the man had merely sat with him and asked him questions about how he was feeling and if he was having any trauma or lingering pain from his encounter with the nomu. His concern had been so subtle but had felt so genuine that Hawks could almost believe it was real.

"For the last time, yes," Recovery Girl said in exasperation. "Though I would love to know why his stamina is dangerously low."

Hawks wiped his mouth and wished in that moment he could sink into the floor. He had to be very careful with how he phrased this, or he they'd start getting suspicious. They had been concerned the last time he had collapsed in class but had accepted his excuse that he had gotten sick without much suspicion. They hadn't even noticed the bruises still lingering on his body that hadn't been healed due to his weakened stamina. He could do this.

"I caught a stomach bug over the weekend." Lie. He hadn't thrown up until Recovery Girl had insisted that he eat something. He rubbed his eyes wearily. "I haven't been able to keep much up." A stomach bug would explain the dehydration too and would hopefully make his exhaustion less suspicious.

"If you knew you were sick, then why did you come to school?" Aizawa demanded, obviously displeased. Aizawa had been glowering and hovering non-stop since Hawks had woken up.

It took every ounce of control Hawks had not to flinch away from him, but he managed to maintain his tenuous grip on his composure. "I thought I was doing better," he said, voice cracking just enough to sound extra pitiful. He wasn't sure if he even had to act to achieve it at this point.

I feel worse than I look. Hawks reminded himself. If he looked as bad as he felt, he would have already been carted off to a hospital.

"I'm surprised your parents let you come in such a state," Recovery Girl said as she stuffed a thermometer in his mouth. "We'll call and have them come pick you up-"

"They're out of town," Hawks mumbled around the thermometer. "They left Saturday and they won't be back until tomorrow. Please don't call them. They're on an important business trip-"

"Keep your mouth closed," Recovery Girl said, readjusting the thermometer. "Hold still."

"They left you alone for the weekend while you were sick?" Aizawa asked, instantly picking up the one thread in Hawks's story that he was most anxious to avoid.

"I wasn't this bad then," Hawks said, anxiety crawling under his skin. Had he been believable enough? "Please don't call them. I don't want them to worry."

"I'm afraid we've already called them; however, their phones went straight to voice mail," Recovery Girl answered. "It's school policy."

"Right," Hawks said weakly, something tight wrapping around his chest. He'd been desperately hoping to avoid letting the Commission know about his current state, but there was no helping it now. He had gotten lucky last time and had faked a call to his parents and said they were coming to pick him up. No one had seemed to notice when he'd slunk out of school and took the train instead. "I'm feeling better now. Can I go back to class?"

Aizawa shook his head and gently pushed him down onto the bed. "Rest. You're not going back just so you can infect your classmates. We'll figure out what to do with you after school ends, but for now try and get some sleep."

"Wait—after school?" Hawks frowned in confusion. Now that he was laying down again, his exhaustion hit him like a ton of brigs. "I'm just going to go home."

"Your condition could have gotten serious if you hadn't received medical help," Recovery Girl said, pulling a blanket up over his chest and practically tucking him into the bed. "We cannot in good conscious allow you to return home by yourself without someone to take care of you."

"I can take care of myself," Hawks said stubbornly, eyes drifting close against his will. "You don't have to trouble yourself."

"It's no trouble," Aizawa said, sighing in a way that indicated it definitely was. "Stop worrying about it and go to sleep, problem child."

"I don't mean to be a problem," Hawks mumbled, barely awake. "I can do better. P-promise."

"It's a term of endearment, sweetheart," Recovery Girl said, brushing a hand across his forehead. "Sleep."

Hawks's eyes slipped shut and the world drifted away.

He had a strange dream while he slept. A dream where he felt like he was awake. All Might, in his weakened form, came in to check on him and talked to Aizawa, who was still there at Hawks bedside for some reason he couldn't begin to fathom.

"Still no word from his parents?" All Might asked quietly.

"None," Aizawa replied, tone clipped. "If they're on a business trip they might be in a meeting and not have their cell phones with them, though."

"You don't sound like you believe that."

"I have no reason to believe otherwise. Currently."

All Might chuckled.

"What?"

"I just realized I've been misjudging you, that's all."

"Hmph."

"You care a lot. You're a good teacher, Aizawa."

"Tell that to all of the complaints lodged by their parents."

"It's not your fault USJ happened. You protected them and got them all out alive. That's all that matters."

"It's my job to keep them safe. A job the two problem children are making very difficult for me."

"They would run off and find trouble no matter what you did. It's who they are, especially young Midoriya."

"Takes after you a little too much in that regard."

"Ha!" All Might coughed and choked.

"Get out of here. The last thing we need is you catching whatever he has with your horrible immune system."

"My immune system's not that bad," All Might said, sounding petulant. "Alright, alright. I'll go. I just wanted to check on him. He's a good kid."

Aizawa let out a low hum. "He knows about you, right?"
"Y-yes. He was there with young Midoriya when I reverted to this form after the fight at USJ," All Might answered. "You know… I don't think he was a very big fan of me, before."

"He has good taste then."

"Haha!" All Might coughed again, the sound wet and painful. "When we talked in the infirmary afterwards, I wasn't sure what to expect. Disgust or disappointment, maybe. But I think… he actually admired me more when he found out. He's as odd as Midoriya."

"You're an idiot," Aizawa said, tone brutally blunt. "Your form real form is not disgusting and no person with any real decency would be disappointed that the great and powerful All Might is human after all. Stop projecting your own self-doubts onto other people. It's annoying."

All Might coughed again.

"He's a good kid," Aizawa continued. "All of them are. Stop acting like they're going to reject you if they know the truth. They deserve more credit than that."

"You're right," All Might said, almost too faintly for Hawks to hear. "Thank you, Aizawa. That means a lot, especially coming from you."

"Hmph. Now go away. I'm going back to my nap."

Footsteps echoed on the floor and a door opened and shut, leaving the room quiet, except for the soft beep of the heart monitor attached to Hawks.

"Stop pretending and go back to sleep," Aizawa said suddenly, making Hawks jump in surprise.

"Er, sorry." Hawks pulled his blanket up, so it covered all of his face and tried to go back to sleep, a warm feeling in his chest causing all of the anxiety and fear from the last several days to drift away.

Present- UA

Hawks had woken up two times during the drive to UA in the oversized ambulance that was used for designed for transporting heroes. He hadn't spoken the first time, merely blinking a few times, eyes wide and frightened, before he fell unconscious. The second time, he started to panic.

"Hey, listener, it's okay," Present Mic said soothingly. "It's just me. You're safe now, I promise."

"W-who're you?" Hawks murmured, expression pinched in pain. "I d-don't know you."

Everything in Shouta crashed to a halt.

Present Mic leaned back like he had been struck, tears filling in his eyes. He shared a horrified glance with Shouta. "T-that's okay. I'm a hero. I promise, you're in good hands. And your teacher is here!" He shifted over without a word, letting Shouta slide into Hawks's line of vision to try and calm him.

The minute Hawks saw Shouta, his whole body relaxed. Shouta swallowed hard and forced himself to remain calm. "Do you know who I am?"
"Sen..sei," Hawks answered, fingers twitching uncoordinatedly toward the IV in his arm.

"Can you tell me your name?" Shouta asked, gently grabbing his hand and tugging it away from the IV.

Gold eyes blinked in confusion, before filling with tears. "They—I can't… remember. M-my head h-hurts, I can't… they tried to-"

"It's okay, it's going to be okay," Shouta murmured, gripping Hawks's hand tightly and giving it a squeeze. "We're going to be at UA soon. Do you remember the school?"

Hawks gave a shaky nod, expression pained.

"Your friends are all waiting for you. Midoriya, Uraraka-" Shouta glanced over at the medics as they injected something into Hawks's IV port.

To keep him calm, the medic mouthed.

"Who?" Hawks asked, voice barely audible.

Shouta winced. "Uraraka. It's okay if you don't remember."

The sedative that the medics had injected most have been working, because Hawks remained calm and merely blinked sluggishly even as Shouta felt more and more like screaming. How bad was the damage? He remembered Shouta but hadn't recognized Present Mic or Uraraka's name. How much had the kid lost?

It wasn't long before Hawks passed out again. Shouta moved out of the way of the medics and sat beside Present Mic, overwhelmed.

Present Mic tugged on Shouta's sleeve. "I've informed Nedzu that a mental quirk was used on him and that there might be… damage," he said. "They've called in a few medical professionals that specialize in repairing mental damage."

They exchanged a pained glance. They both knew how damaging a mental quirk could be and how difficult the recovery process often was. Even a few seconds of usage by someone aiming to cause harm could be devastating. Hawks had one used on him for hours. His recovery would all depend on what the purpose had been of whatever procedure the Commission had been attempting.

It was a miracle that Hawks was at all responsive, much less able to recognize Shouta.

Not knowing his own name was what worried Shouta the most, although that might have been because of the clear agony he was in. If they had been trying to wipe out the kid's personality and memories, the Hawks they knew might be gone for good. They wouldn't know until he woke up and was able to answer questions.

"Hizashi," Shouta said, voice broken.

"I know," Present Mic answered, grabbing Shouta and pulling him into a hug. "He's safe now."

"Yeah," Shouta said, burying his head on Present Mic's shoulder and closing his eyes.

By the time they made it back to UA, Shouta and Present Mic had managed to recover their composure. They were professionals. They could hold it together for a little longer, until they could take a break and allow themselves to fully feel and process everything.

Once they got Hawks settled in with Recovery Girl and the other doctors Nedzu had called in, the two of them trudged to the teacher's lounge for something to eat and if they were lucky, a quick nap. Nedzu had decided that the risk of Hawks being assassinated before he could wake up and share what he knew about the Commission was too great to leave anything up to chance, which was why he had been brought back to UA. The school was far safer and more secure than a regular hospital.

Shouta had one more thing to take care of first, though. "You go ahead. I need to make a call."

Present Mic gave a thumbs up and disappeared into the teacher's lounge without a word.

He checked through his texts and missed phone calls first. Nothing from Toshinori, Nedzu, or Endeavor, or anyone else involved in the case, but he had over a dozen texts from his students. He made a mental note to check the news before napping and dialed his problem child.

The minute Midoriya answered the phone, a clatter of voices filled his ears. Apparently, they'd all decided to spend the night at Midoriya's to wait for word after Shouta had left them. Shouta sighed and rubbed his neck.

"Is he okay? Are you okay?" Midoriya asked, voice frantic.

"Everyone, please be quiet and let him talk to Aizawa-sensei!" Iida said, voice loud enough to make Shouta flinch.

It got the others to stop talking though, so Aizawa couldn't complain despite the headache building in his temples. "He's alive. We're still accessing his injuries, but he's stable."

"Thank goodness," Midoriya breathed. "He's okay guys!"

"You did good coming to me. If we hadn't gotten to Hawks when we did…" Shouta trailed off and tried not to think about it. "I'll update all of you again in a few hours."

"Thank you," Midoriya said, sounding like he was crying. He probably wasn't the only one; Shouta could hear a suspicious amount of sniffling in the background. "Please take care of yourself too, sensei."

Shouta smiled to himself, fondness flaring in his chest. Dealing with them was such a hassle, but they were so worth it. "You too. I expect to see all of you well rested on Monday and if I hear that any of you have gotten in trouble or so much as stubbed a toe, you're all grounded for life."

Midoriya let out a watery laugh. "Sure thing, sensei."

Hanging up with another promise to keep them informed on Hawks's condition, Shouta stumbled into the teacher's lounge and collapsed onto the couch. He was asleep before his head had even hit the cushions.

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