[Quirks, plural. Plural. That already says plenty, and so does the look on Hizashi's face. He knows that look. Hizashi's always had his heart on his sleeve, his thoughts in his eyes. He'll have to say something. He's not...good at this, but Hizashi knows that, too, so he'll know what it means.
Taking another slow swallow of coffee, he's quiet a moment before he speaks again.]
I'm not going to ask you about any of it--or most of it, at least. Whatever happens--I know it's bad. You don't look like that over nothing. If you want to tell me, I'll listen. But I'm not going to make you tell me, and I'm not going to be mad at you for anything you don't want to tell me. As long as we can make sure the kids are safe.
[Reaching out with his free hand, he lets it rest lightly on the back of Hizashi's shoulder.]
[He honestly wasn't aware of how tightly he'd been holding his shoulders when he nearly jumps out of his skin as Aizawa's hand finds a place to rest. He exhales a breath that comes out as a laugh.]
Yeah man, no problem. You got it. [He reaches up to place his hand atop the one of Shouta's on him, squeezing his hand just a little.] I don't know everything.
Wanna give me a hint on what you wanna know? [he wants to avoid this so much...]
[Yeah, he's definitely tense. Shouta can feel it even without him jumping like a tightly wound spring at the touch. Still, he doesn't move his hand, leaving it there for a long moment, squeezing his shoulder lightly as Hizashi lays a hand on top of his.
Maybe there are some things they should talk about, but it doesn't have to be everything, and it doesn't have to be tonight. Maybe he can...work on actually talking, for one.
One more squeeze of Hizashi's shoulder, and he takes his hand back, lacing his fingers around the cup of coffee.]
You said quirks. As in more than one. Tell me about them.
I could be wrong, but it's not hard to put two and two together. You know about the nomu, right? How they're... they're [he shifts uncomfortably, crossing one leg over the other as he gestures with his hands uncertainly. This particular line of talk gets uncomfortably close to the thing he doesn't want to talk about.]
They've got a shitty doctor involved with all of it, which is what you need to know. We raided the hospital he worked at, you know? How we got there isn't as important as the fact we got there at all.
[he pauses, pulling his glasses off of his face to rub his hands over his eyes.] The last time I saw Shigaraki he was unconscious in some sort of glass tube, man.
[A hand lifts to rub a thumb over the scar under his right eye, a gesture he's found himself doing more and more when he thinks. A tell. He's not sure he likes it, as a general rule, but in present company it's the last thing on his mind.]
So you think the doctor was doing whatever he did with the nomu to Shigaraki. Enhancing him. Giving him multiple quirks. You haven't seen him use more than the one?
[Not that that one isn't bad enough. He knows from experience. But maybe...maybe they'll be lucky this time. Maybe.]
[Hizashi's eyes track the scar and the movement Shouta makes along it, his lips pressing into a thin line.]
If whatever they were doing worked, yeah it's a solid chance. I was in the middle of hauling that nasty piece of trash out of the hospital when I got here.
[He viscerally remembers just how disgusting he felt simply having to have his hands on the guy's body in order to do it. His face twists at the thought.]
I blew out the tube, you know? When we stormed in. The kid was on the ground, not moving, but something felt off.
[It's the eyes on his hand as much as anything else that makes him stop, hand dropping to his coffee cup again as he takes a long swallow.]
So. He's here. He might be stronger than he was back home. And they've all but given him a chance to get a head start. I guess we've faced worse odds...
[After a moment, he shakes his head. Too much hope gets you nowhere, and even though this world seems pretty set on its heroes being heroes, it's hard to say how they'll respond to someone like that guy. And then there's...]
We could be dealing with a lot of unknowns. His decay quirk is one thing, then whatever else those experiments did, and whatever this place has decided to settle on his shoulders.
[He exhales a groan, leaning back a little almost like he's about to collapse back onto the bed in exasperation. It's a lot, it's complicated.
And then there's the question about twice.]
I expect he's probably going to be happy to see Shigaraki. He was pretty lonely, you know?
[There's not as much venom or vindictive satisfaction in the words as there could have been; honestly, Bubaigawara could have been much worse. It's...complicated. But when are things not?
Finishing his coffee, he sets his cup to the side and takes his capture device in his hands again, this time more just to give his hands something to do.]
You know what city he's in? We could start by getting any of the kids in proximity out of there. I know Yaoyorozu was talking about wanting to get out of Jeopardy.
No. [and he wishes he did. He could have tried grilling twice. but that didn't feel right, not when he's in the middle of trying to cultivate something beyond antagonism with the guy.]
Not sure where Bakugou ran into him either. But I have a feeling we'll probably find out sooner or later. When we do, we can make adjustments, get the kids, All Might and us in one city at least.
[He takes a sip of coffee himself, but his expression remains solomn, eyes tracking the way Shouta toys with the capture device.]
I know you're worried Shouta. I am too. We'll keep the kids safe.
We will. There's no other option. I just wish I knew some way we could talk to them without them deciding that means they have to clam up and start working on some ridiculously dangerous plan. You know Bakugou tried to climb a building to get away the first time he heard me?
[He's not good at this. He's gotten better, but he's still not good. And he needs to be. Times like this, it shows on his face, in the faint lines between his brows, and the way his knuckles flex under the skin as he tugs at the woven cloth.]
You're kidding. What's the point in trying to avoid you?
[Kids really are weird, sometimes. But, well, Aizawa was someone Bakugo respected, so maybe it would make sense that he'd avoid him, considering the nonsense he'd been up to.]
Maybe we talk to them upfront, tell them we want them to talk to us rather than do that. We're all in this together, so we're going to have to use our words to keep everyone on the same page.
[He reaches out to settle his hand on Shouta's thigh, patting it and giving it a little friendly shake.]
They're teenagers, man. Anything we say is a suggestion at best. But maybe since the playing field is different -- it's not home anyway -- they'll listen with their brains and not just their ears this time too.
[It's a sympathetic gesture, and it is appreciated. Shouta's never been good at accepting those, and he's never been as openly affectionate as his friend, but Hizashi knows that by now. The fact that he doesn't tense up or brush that hand away is basically an acceptance all its own.]
You've always been the better optimist, Hizashi. But I hope you're right.
[This sigh at least sounds less heavy and more...well, sigh-y.]
So, grab All Might for a quick conference and plan of action, then try and reach out to the kids to let them know we're here, we're paying attention, and we're in this together?
Yeah, sounds like a solid plan. We can take care of it in person, too. As interesting as it is to play moderator in online chats for the kids, this is a little too important to deal with that way.
[He says this with a laugh, but it's tired.] Right now there's not much for us to do. Why don't we cook up the rest of those leftovers in the fridge and watch something stupid on TV? American television is a good distraction, yo!
[He's not wrong. Nothing to be done tonight, and there's nothing wrong with his capture device, he knows that. It's just habit and anxiety, and taking a step away while they have the time is going to be important. He knows that, too.]
You sure there are any leftovers? Your lady friend didn't eat them all?
Wait, what? Woah, no way man! It's not like that!!
[he holds his hands up, waving them a little.] We're just friends, yo. She was one of the first people I talked to when I showed up here. Pretty sure she wouldn't date a human anyway, man.
What's she got against humans? And if you're not dating, why are you making her dinner at midnight and going out to get drinks, leaving her alone on our couch?
[Shouta he'd do the same for you, and you're not dating...but that's different!!]
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Taking another slow swallow of coffee, he's quiet a moment before he speaks again.]
I'm not going to ask you about any of it--or most of it, at least. Whatever happens--I know it's bad. You don't look like that over nothing. If you want to tell me, I'll listen. But I'm not going to make you tell me, and I'm not going to be mad at you for anything you don't want to tell me. As long as we can make sure the kids are safe.
[Reaching out with his free hand, he lets it rest lightly on the back of Hizashi's shoulder.]
Okay?
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Yeah man, no problem. You got it. [He reaches up to place his hand atop the one of Shouta's on him, squeezing his hand just a little.] I don't know everything.
Wanna give me a hint on what you wanna know? [he wants to avoid this so much...]
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Maybe there are some things they should talk about, but it doesn't have to be everything, and it doesn't have to be tonight. Maybe he can...work on actually talking, for one.
One more squeeze of Hizashi's shoulder, and he takes his hand back, lacing his fingers around the cup of coffee.]
You said quirks. As in more than one. Tell me about them.
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I could be wrong, but it's not hard to put two and two together. You know about the nomu, right? How they're... they're [he shifts uncomfortably, crossing one leg over the other as he gestures with his hands uncertainly. This particular line of talk gets uncomfortably close to the thing he doesn't want to talk about.]
They've got a shitty doctor involved with all of it, which is what you need to know. We raided the hospital he worked at, you know? How we got there isn't as important as the fact we got there at all.
[he pauses, pulling his glasses off of his face to rub his hands over his eyes.] The last time I saw Shigaraki he was unconscious in some sort of glass tube, man.
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[A hand lifts to rub a thumb over the scar under his right eye, a gesture he's found himself doing more and more when he thinks. A tell. He's not sure he likes it, as a general rule, but in present company it's the last thing on his mind.]
So you think the doctor was doing whatever he did with the nomu to Shigaraki. Enhancing him. Giving him multiple quirks. You haven't seen him use more than the one?
[Not that that one isn't bad enough. He knows from experience. But maybe...maybe they'll be lucky this time. Maybe.]
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If whatever they were doing worked, yeah it's a solid chance. I was in the middle of hauling that nasty piece of trash out of the hospital when I got here.
[He viscerally remembers just how disgusting he felt simply having to have his hands on the guy's body in order to do it. His face twists at the thought.]
I blew out the tube, you know? When we stormed in. The kid was on the ground, not moving, but something felt off.
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So. He's here. He might be stronger than he was back home. And they've all but given him a chance to get a head start. I guess we've faced worse odds...
[After a moment, he shakes his head. Too much hope gets you nowhere, and even though this world seems pretty set on its heroes being heroes, it's hard to say how they'll respond to someone like that guy. And then there's...]
Twice. What's he got to say about this?
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[He exhales a groan, leaning back a little almost like he's about to collapse back onto the bed in exasperation. It's a lot, it's complicated.
And then there's the question about twice.]
I expect he's probably going to be happy to see Shigaraki. He was pretty lonely, you know?
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[There's not as much venom or vindictive satisfaction in the words as there could have been; honestly, Bubaigawara could have been much worse. It's...complicated. But when are things not?
Finishing his coffee, he sets his cup to the side and takes his capture device in his hands again, this time more just to give his hands something to do.]
You know what city he's in? We could start by getting any of the kids in proximity out of there. I know Yaoyorozu was talking about wanting to get out of Jeopardy.
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Not sure where Bakugou ran into him either. But I have a feeling we'll probably find out sooner or later. When we do, we can make adjustments, get the kids, All Might and us in one city at least.
[He takes a sip of coffee himself, but his expression remains solomn, eyes tracking the way Shouta toys with the capture device.]
I know you're worried Shouta. I am too. We'll keep the kids safe.
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[He's not good at this. He's gotten better, but he's still not good. And he needs to be. Times like this, it shows on his face, in the faint lines between his brows, and the way his knuckles flex under the skin as he tugs at the woven cloth.]
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[Kids really are weird, sometimes. But, well, Aizawa was someone Bakugo respected, so maybe it would make sense that he'd avoid him, considering the nonsense he'd been up to.]
Maybe we talk to them upfront, tell them we want them to talk to us rather than do that. We're all in this together, so we're going to have to use our words to keep everyone on the same page.
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[A heavy sigh. This is why he just wants to sleep eighteen hours a day, Hizashi. Surely you understand.]
It's worth a shot. I'm just worried that they're not going to listen, no matter what we say.
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They're teenagers, man. Anything we say is a suggestion at best. But maybe since the playing field is different -- it's not home anyway -- they'll listen with their brains and not just their ears this time too.
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You've always been the better optimist, Hizashi. But I hope you're right.
[This sigh at least sounds less heavy and more...well, sigh-y.]
So, grab All Might for a quick conference and plan of action, then try and reach out to the kids to let them know we're here, we're paying attention, and we're in this together?
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[He says this with a laugh, but it's tired.] Right now there's not much for us to do. Why don't we cook up the rest of those leftovers in the fridge and watch something stupid on TV? American television is a good distraction, yo!
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[He's not wrong. Nothing to be done tonight, and there's nothing wrong with his capture device, he knows that. It's just habit and anxiety, and taking a step away while they have the time is going to be important. He knows that, too.]
You sure there are any leftovers? Your lady friend didn't eat them all?
[Ah, yes. Much better.]
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[Wait. What? He does a double take as he stands up, looking at Shouta like he's grown an extra two heads and maybe another pair of limbs.]
What... what lady friend?!
[???? hold up.]
Are you talking about Onyx?
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[He isn't even sorry one bit. Just gonna sit there looking up at Hizashi like he's the one overreacting, obviously.]
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Come on man! I'm not the type to just have women coming and going all the time, especially with kids here! Quit joking around!
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[Probably, mostly. He's gonna judge a little for it anyway, but what else is new?]
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Wait, what? Woah, no way man! It's not like that!!
[he holds his hands up, waving them a little.] We're just friends, yo. She was one of the first people I talked to when I showed up here. Pretty sure she wouldn't date a human anyway, man.
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[Shouta he'd do the same for you, and you're not dating...but that's different!!]
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[He's just going to kind of stare at Shouta for a minute.]
I do that stuff with you dude, does that mean we've been dating all this time?
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We've known each other since we were fifteen, it's hardly the same thing.
[Right! Right. They're co-workers, and even friends, and it's definitely not the same thing. It's silly to even think that. Obviously.]
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