The Flap of a Butterfly's Wings

A Promise to the Stars

    Things have changed. They usually do, but that doesn't make it any less noticeable. Aizawa is old, and yes, twenty-nine counts as being old. He has witnessed things change and evolve throughout his decade of being a hero. He should be used to it by now, but not when it comes to a certain vigilante.

Aizawa has worked beside Hato for two years now. He's known about him for about four. And every time he thinks he knows Hato, the more confused he gets. Hato never reveals anything personal about himself. Not even his favorite color (believe Aizawa, he's asked). He doesn't know what he looks like because he never removes his mask no matter how hard he struggles for air at times. He can estimate that the vigilante is thirteen to fourteen years old, which is the age Midoriya would be. Yes, he still thinks this vigilante is the missing Midoriya Izuku who vanished four years ago. He's tried on multiple occasions to find out, but has frustratingly failed every single time.

He even asked if Hato ever heard of Midoriya.

They're sitting on their old roof. Hato is on his fifth steamed pork bun that he got from Aizawa. He has three more left, and the hero doubts that there will be any leftovers. Aizawa is sucking on a lychee-flavored jelly pouch as he gazes at the bustling city below.

Finally, he sucks in a breath and asks the question that's been growing in his mind like a weed, "Do you know who Midoriya Izuku is, Hato?" Hato chokes on his bun and develops a coughing fit. Eraserhead begins to worry that he's actually choking when Hato calms down.

Hato faces toward him, "Can't say I have. Why? Is he your secret love child or something?" It's Aizawa's turn to choke on his food. Even though he can't see Hato's face, he knows that the evil child is smirking.

"No. Just a kid that went missing years ago."

Hato is silent for a while. Shota hopes that his hunch is correct and that Hato is about to confess that he is, in fact, Midoriya Izuku.

"Shouldn't the case have gone cold, then? Declared dead?" Hato says instead, disappointing Shota.

"I promised his best friend that I'll find him, and his deceased mother that I'll protect him. I know he's alive. His friend spotted him a year ago." Aizawa remembers being at Inko's grave, promising to always protect her son. It has been his greatest failure.

Hato stutters and takes a deep breath. Something he does when he's trying to calm himself down. Eraserhead thinks that this could be considered as more evidence that his hunch is correct, but he refuses to tear off his mask. He wants Hato to confess. Aizawa wants to keep his trust.

"Promised his mother, huh? Didn't know you were the sentimental type, Eraser'," Hato whispers. He gazes up at the polluted sky, and in that moment, Shota thinks that Hato looks so lonely. Hato speaks again, "What if the kid was seeing things? Maybe you should stop looking and see if he ever comes back. You're an amazing person, Eraserhead. I bet the friend is, too. Considering that he's still looking for his best friend. Midoriya would be stupid not to come back to such loving people." With that, Hato salutes and heads off to wherever he goes. Aizawa has tried to follow him before, but always manages to lose him.

Aizawa hopes that Hato is right, and that Izuku will come back. Even if he is some rambunctious vigilante with no self-preservation.

    He hasn't gotten closer to finding who Hato is, and if Midoriya is related to him or not. He has informed Tsuchauchi about his suspicions, though, and the detective has been trying to gather more evidence that will link Hato to Midoriya.

    So far, nothing.

    Shota has witnessed Hato's growth in fighting, and it's terrifying. Hato is able to take out villains with such cold precision and swiftness. Heroes who have been in the business for years are hardly ever that talented with their fighting technique, but Hato, a teenage vigilante, is a master at it. Not to mention his analytical mind: he's able to analyze a situation or quirk within seconds. It makes Aizawa hella glad that Hato isn't a villain.