hero's shadow // mha

90) urgency

All Might isn't at school the next morning.

Izuku feels stupid, as he knew the first and second year hero students had the day off today. Considering that, why did he think Yagi would be at school? He only teaches heroics. There's no reason for him to be here unless he had something planned for the third year students.

Shouta, on the other hand, also teaches hero principles and law to some of the business classes, meaning he still has to work. Izuku came in today with him and Hizashi, who teaches English and thus also must be here, for the sole purpose of seeing Yagi, but now he regrets it. So, after realizing he psyched himself up to apologize to his mentor all for nothing, Izuku heads for the cafeteria to take his mind off the events of the night before.

Lunch Rush only did half of the meal prep, so Izuku begins to finish what he started. With his hair tied back and a stained apron on, Izuku can feel like someone other than himself.

His movements are jittery as he cuts vegetables in the quiet of the kitchen. After that, he shaves some potatoes, face pinched.

It's still early in the morning, so he has at least another hour before anyone comes in for breakfast.

Well, he thought he did.

Izuku keeps his hand on his knife when he feels Gran Torino walk into the cafeteria wing. His shoes don't make a sound, and since Gran is incredibly short, Izuku can't see him over the high counter he's behind.

He's gauging everything off of the feel of his quirk and the emptiness in the air.

"Good morning," Izuku greets first, skin prickling. "Are you teaching the third years today?"

This is a nicer way of asking what the fuck are you doing here? I know you used to be a teacher here, but damn, get over it.

Gran Torino walks inside the kitchen, and Izuku's eye twitches. It takes more strength for him to refrain from complaining about Gran's uncleanliness than it did for him to hold off those dinosaurs.

"Toshi's not here today," Gran says, completely ignoring the previous question. He comes to a stop a few feet away from Izuku, who subtly slides his workstation a yard or so back.

"I know. He didn't have to be."

"You didn't have to be, either."

Izuku uses Pull to grab the basket of fresh fruits he took out from the walk-in refrigerator earlier. "I'm only here for this. I'll probably leave after I'm done."

Gran leans against the cabinets. "So you're telling me you came all this way to cut up some vegetables?"

Izuku frowns and gives him a confused glance. "We don't live that far from here. And I like doing this. There's no one here to bother me."

Usually.

Gran rolls his eyes. "Your teachers stayin' the whole day?"

"They kinda have to."

"Good. Would they mind if I take you back to Hosu for a while?"

The simple question makes Izuku press down a lot harder than he would've liked on the coconut he's preparing. It snaps cleanly in half, with one end of it falling down into the sink and losing all of its milk. The boy's heart rate increases exponentially just at those few words. "What? You want me to go to Hosu again?"

"There are a few things I want you to see over there. Things I'm relatively sure are related to All for One."

Izuku sets down the knife he's holding. He really doesn't want to go back to that place, as the memories there are like fresh burn scars on his skin, but he knows that's a pathetic excuse. "All Might would probably want to be the first to see it, then."