The Emerald Prince

Chapter 112: Absence

I drew this illustration months ago and I've no idea what I was going for...but it's so clean and neat so I'll keep it even if Shoto has strong Levi energy and it makes no sense.
Gods, Kiri with his hair down though...mmm.

———

It was 3:00 am.

And Kirishima Eijiro was now officially worried. There was no way 'back late' meant this late. Even for Izuku.

He tried to ignore the unease steadily pooling in his gut and debated about who to text.
In the end he decided on Hiniyuki. Considering the note, he was probably the most familiar with Izuku's evening activities.

Kirishima: Shoto, you awake?
...

Kirishima did not expect a quick reply if any, but before he messaged Aizawa and potentially called out Izuku to his dad... for whatever this was... it was worth checking.

Hiniyuki: I am. What is it Kirishima?
Kirishima: Izuku... he went out, about 9... and he still isn't back.
...
Hiniyuki: Was he dressed up?

The redhead was surprised Hiniyuki didn't question how he knew, but appreciated it.

Kirishima: He was.
Hiniyuki: Aizawa told me he sometimes comes back more late than... a normal evening out... but this is definitely unusual. I think I'll go downstairs and speak with him. Coming?
Kirishima: I'll meet you in the common room!

He got up, and hastily washed the lipstick from his forehead at Izuku's sink, before heading out, and quietly pacing to the stairs, down to the floor below.

Hiniyuki arrived a few moments later, in a Yukata designed for bed wear.
"He's probably fine Kirishima." He stated. "You saw his demonstration, and it was minor compared to what he unleashed on me and Bakugou."
"I know... but I could do with some reassurance." He felt a little sheepish.
Hiniyuki ran a hand through his insultingly attractive bed hair, and sighed. "Me too. Let's go."

They crept over to Aizawa's door, and Hiniyuki messaged Aizawa.
Five minutes of awkward, tense silence and wall memorisation later, Aizawa opened the door, looking like his usual self. That took Kirishima a while to process, thinking Aizawa had made a lot of effort to clean up to speak with them... then realised the opposite was true. He never made any effort. Apparently he slept in the clothes he taught in too, which was both ingenious and awful at the same time.

"He... he went on a slightly different mission tonight. That is why he's late. Shoto, Kirishima, go to bed." Stated the teacher grumpily.
Kirishima was turning to do just as told, when Hiniyuki spoke up again. "No, you're lying. He's meant to have messaged you earlier than this right? He would not have done something like this if he knew he was going out so late. What is he supposed to be doing?"

Aizawa scowled at him. "Go back to sleep Shoto."
"No."
Kirishima swallowed, and wondered whether there was a subtext to this conversation he was missing.

Their teacher glared but gave in. "He's taking down the Shie Hassaikai, the Yakuza who experimented on Eri. The concern I have is not that he's hurt, but that he's having a bit too much fun with them before he calls in the police."
That shut up Hiniyuki. Kirishima had piles of questions now, but could read the mood.

"Go to bed."
The bicoloured male sighed. "Please message me when he returns. I'll rest but you know I'm not sleeping until he's back."
The other two had no idea just how literally he meant that. But they were going to.

"Very well. Goodnight you two." Muttered Aizawa and shut the door on him.

———

Aizawa closed the door on the pair and listened to their distancing footsteps, before sliding down to the floor and gazing at his phone and the seven messages Izuku had left unanswered.

He hadn't been this distressed or panicked since he'd desperately helped search the rubble for Oboro, hoping with every fibre of his being that it wasn't a corpse they'd find. And that had turned out just great.

But he wasn't alone this time. And thank god.
He wasn't strong enough to stand alone this time.

Aizawa: Zashi... please... Izuku is missing.
Yamada: I'm on my way.

"Please... kid... you better be fucking fine. We... I... need you."

———

Kirishima eyed Hiniyuki in surprise when the teen followed him out of the stairwell onto the first floor.
"What are you doing?"

(I'm British... here we use the European system where building storeys start with a ground floor (floor 0), and the next floor up is the first floor (and so on))

"Fetching Hitoshi, then we are heading up and waking Katsuki. You are telling all three of us everything." Stated the bicoloured teen firmly.
Kirishima swallowed. "I'm not sure I've worked out what I want to say to Bakugou yet."

"He told you?" Hiniyuki seemed surprised.
"I... uh read the thirteenth book. It was... detailed."
The bicoloured male scowled, "Pity, I want you to give him shit, but in the current situation..."
Kirishima started slightly, there was some venom in Hiniyuki's words - and he'd never heard the guy swear, and though his tone remained monotonous, his eyes had darkened slightly.

"Aizawa said the same thing."
"You've... had quite an eventful night." Stated Hiniyuki eventually as they reached Shinsou's door and he pulled out his phone again.
"I have." Kirishima replied. Was this really awkward for Hiniyuki too, or was it just him?

Shinsou pulled open his door, scanned the pairs' expressions, and moved to join them in the hallway. They headed up to the top floor, taking the stairs as the elevator might wake people.

On the fourth floor, they came face to face with Tokoyami; if Shinsou hadn't grabbed him, Kirishima would have fallen back down the stairs out of fright.
"There art an ill wind." He stated as if that explained everything.
Hiniyuki and Shinsou seemed to understand though, as they didn't say a thing, just kept walking up to the fifth floor. Kirishima followed and Tokoyami fell into step beside him.

Hiniyuki... wasn't as considerate with Bakugou as he had been with Shinsou, though now Kirishima thought about it, the fifth floor only had Hiniyuki, Bakugou, Kaminari and himself, and it would take an atomic bomb not blond to wake Kaminari.
The bicoloured male simply lifted his leg and kicked the door open.

"SWEET FUCKING FUCK! HALF N' HALF!" Roared Bakugou, launching from the bed in shock, then he saw their expressions. "What is it? Is he not back?"
"No, no he isn't." Replied Hiniyuki simply. "Kirishima last saw him, and he is going to explain everything that happened."
Kirishima gulped when four pairs of eyes turned to him, but thought of Izuku and began.