Radio Shows and School Woes

Chapter Sixteen

"In the english language there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parent who loses a child." Jodi Picoult

Aizawa watched the building burn. It was satisfying in a sick way. They knew that they would have to get rid of any evidence, but still. He watched, and watched, and watched as flames engulfed the house. From this angle the house looked like any other house. He knew otherwise. Hizashi, Nemuri, and Hitoshi (He said that he didn't want to go by his family name anymore. Not after what he saw) had gone back to Hizashi and Aizawa's apartment. 

When Aizawa got there, they were already patching themselves up, and disinfecting their wounds. 

"I'm sorry," Hitoshi paused. "I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." His voice was quiet, and he stared at the floor. 

"You don't need to apologize. This was not your fault." Aizawa placed a hand on Hitoshi's shoulder. 

"Is there anywhere you can go?" Hitoshi shook his head. "Would.. would you like to stay with us?" Hitoshi looked up, shocked. 

"Why- why would- why would you... don't you know about me?" Hitoshi was tentative. He was careful about the way he worded things. 

Aizawa stared at him confused.

"I have a villains quirk." Hitoshi said, as if it explained everything.

"No such thing," Nemuri cut it, "It's what you do with the quirk that says who you are."

"What is your quirk?" Aizawa asked.

"Brainwash. When someone responds to a question I ask, I can tell them what to do. It's not every question, but I can choose the question." Aizawa's mind flashed to Midoriya. He would love that quirk. He would pester Hitoshi with questions. He had a way of making people feel so much more special for their quirk.

"That sounds really cool, Hitoshi. When we find Midoriya, he will love it. He will pester you with questions." Aizawa saw Nemuri and Hizashi put on a sad smile. They were remembering Midoriya as well.

"What... what happened to him?" Hitoshi asked quietly. 

"We-we don't know. Not yet. We are going to do everything we can to get him back, though. He is my son after all," Hizashi answered. 

"What does he look like?" 

Hizashi, Nemuri, and Aizawa all pulled out their phones. Hizashi showed his lock screen. It was a picture of Midoriya ranting to Mirko about how amazing she is. Mirko is wearing a soft expression, and is kneeling next to him. Nemuri and Aizawa are in the corner of the picture staring at him fondly.

Hizashi pointed at Midoriya.

"That's him. He believes that all quirks are awesome and analyzes them for fun. He would probably give you a page in one of his notebooks." Hizashi unlocked his phone and moved, giving Nemuri a chance to show a photo that she chose. 

The one that she showed was him napping. He was curled up around Aizawa, who was also asleep. Eraser and Present were sitting next to them, and curled up around each other. He told Hitoshi the story of their names. 

Aizawa and Hizashi walked into the pet store with one cat in mind. ONE CAT. The front desk lady gave them a weird look, but didn't say anything. Aizawa was glad, Hizashi would have lectured her on how being gay is fine. He did not want to be kicked out of the pet store.

They walked into the cat room, and looked around. Finally, their eyes landed on two cats in particular. A baby black one, and a baby yellow one. The yellow one was pestering the black one, and the black one was trying to sleep. 

"That black one seems chill, how about them?" Aizawa asked. 

"We can't take them away from the yellow one though!" Hizashi almost yelled. He was told a strict NO QUIRK policy. Not by the people, but by Aizawa. He did not need another law suit from someone who has a burst eardrum.

Aizawa walked over to the tower that they were sitting on. The yellow one proudly puffed up their chest, and meowed loudly, and the other looked very uninterested in Aizawa and Hizashi and went back to sleep after a quick glance. 

"The yellow one reminds me of you," Aizawa said softly, giving the yellow one a little pet, which the yellow one happily leaned into.

"The black one reminds me of you," Hizashi responded. He dragged his hand across the black one's back. 

"We are not getting two cats." It was as if Hizashi could read Aizawa's mind.

"Cats 'Zashi. Cats." 

"No." 

"Yes."

"No." 

"Yes." They glared at each other. Hizashi really hated that Aizawa was so much better at glaring. It made situations like these that much worse.

"FINE," Hizashi relented, "but you are doing the litter." Aizawa snorted.

"Sure I am, sweetie, sure I am." He softly pecked Hizashi's cheek and walked back out of the room. 

"What would you like to name them?" 

"Well, the black one should be named Eraser," Hizashi said, proudly.

"And the yellow has to be Present." Aizawa smirked at Hizashi. 

The front desk lady gave them a weird look, but grabbed two collars, gripping the medal on the front of each. 

A warm glow emitted from each hand, and she handed them the collars. There, carved into each one was the name's of the cats.

Aizawa, the last one to show a photo, showed a simple one. It was Midoriya on the first day of training. He was looking at all of the students with an analytical stare. He was focused, completely. Nothing would interrupt him. 

He was visibly muttering to himself, and quickly writing down everything he could. A few of the kids who were training were glancing at him. 

"You must really care about Midoriya." Hitoshi said. 

"Yeah. 'Zuku is a special one." Hizashi smiled to himself. It was as if just memories of Midoriya were taking the pain away from their wounds. Hitoshi wondered what it was like to be around him. 

"Where will I be sleeping? I don't mind the couch." Hitoshi asked.

Aizawa, and Hizashi stared at each other for a second, a silent conversation going on between them. Aizawa was the first to speak.

"Until we get Midoriya back... you can sleep in his room. We have been needing to get a better place anyway." Aizawa smiled at Hitoshi, but Hitoshi could see it didn't quite reach his eyes. He missed his son, and was still trying to take care of him.

Whoever hurt Midoriya was going to pay, and Hitoshi was going to make sure of it.

----------------------

To say they were shocked is an understatement. They walked into Midoriya's room waiting for the pain of seeing all of his posters, his stuffed animals, and figurines. Aizawa had been planning on reading the notebooks as a way of keeping going without him. 

The room was empty. The bed was going, the bookshelf the desk, everything. It was as if Midoriya was never there in the first place. It was as if he had moved out.

They stared in astonishment. Who would do this? Why did they take everything there? Why did the Shadows seem so adamant on the fact that Midoriya was safe? Aizawa heard the audio they showed. They heard Midoriya's cries. His pleading for Aizawa, Hizashi, and Nemuri. He even said 'Dad' and 'Papa'.

Why was everything gone?

Aizawa was going to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed him.