VITRIOL - Aizawa x Reader

ONE - Change

***14 years later***

"I'm done. Wake me up when they graduate…" I had barely made it into the staff room before I already had one leg in my sleeping bag. 
"Yeesh, Shota. They can't be that bad!" Midnight chuckled from her place at the water cooler, glancing at the clock that ticked away upon the wall. "Wait, don't you have patrol tonight?" 

Shit. 

It had barely been a week since I had been introduced to my new first year class, and I was already beyond spent. Adding my regular hero duties on top of dealing with them was just pure torture. 
"Where's Snipe?" Stepping out of my yellow safe zone, I kicked it to the side, rolling my shoulders until I felt them click into place.
"Why?" Cementoss questioned, scooting his wheelie chair to the side so he could peer out from behind his computer. 
"I want him to put me to sleep."

My fellow teachers began to laugh as I trudged out of the room, but I hadn't been entirely kidding. I wanted as much sleep as possible, and the idea of eternal slumber sounded like my kind of paradise. Down the halls, out the doors, through the gate and to my car, I wanted to lean my seat back and nap away the hours once I had buckled myself in. Duty called, though, so I drove myself home, leaving my vehicle behind as I walked towards my designated patrol zone for the night. 

It could have been worse. I was at least lucky enough to have been assigned somewhere close by this time, so if things went smoothly I would be able to squeeze in a few decent hours of rest before morning. Even better, it was Friday. I didn't have to do shit. 

Low crime zones had become my favourite areas since I had become a teacher. Exerting myself was such a chore, even though I did enjoy my job, to a degree. Enjoy may have been the wrong word for it, but I definitely didn't hate it. Not so far, anyway. Clad in black, the night was my friend, and I roamed the darkened streets in complete silence for hours, spotting nothing out of the ordinary. 

"Ah, Eraserhead! Long time no see! How's things?" I nodded my head to the portly man behind the counter as I entered my favourite cafe. Twenty four hour joints were a rare find, but this guy kept it open specifically for heroes and shift workers, bless his soul. 
"Hayakawa. Exhausting, as usual. Your son started college, right?" I approached the counter, pausing to bend down and rub behind the ear of one of the many shop cats that lazed around. No wonder it was my favourite place to go. 

"He did, he did! Environmental studies, so he tells me! Out to save the turtles, and all that! So proud of him!" Hayakawa chuckled, his second chin squishing out as he spoke. "Dark roast tonight?" Straightening up, and bringing the calico cat; Tomomi, up with me in my arms, I nodded again. 
"Please. It's been a long day." Using my free hand, I reached into my pocket, retrieving my wallet and setting the correct change upon the counter. As the man started on my much needed caffeine boost, I wandered over to one of the booths, sitting down and resting Tomomi in my lap. 

I should've become a barista. 

Not long after, Hayakawa waddled on over, placing my coffee before me and smiling. 
"No milk, no sugar, just how you like it." He said amusedly, leaning against the table. "Catch any wayward souls this time?" I signalled for him to wait as I took a sip, almost being able to hear my taste buds screaming for help as the scorching liquid burnt them to death. 
"No, not this time. It's usually rather quiet around these parts, especially this time of year. Now that we have All Might working at Yuuei, they've probably fled for their sorry lives." 

"You're not one for copious amounts of attention, Eraser. How are you going with all of the media hounds surrounding him all the time?" Before I could answer, the entry bell chimed, and a woman walked in. A sleeveless hooded shirt hid her face, and she approached the counter, rocking back and forth on her heels as she studied the menu. "One moment, please!"