EraserMic One-Shots (Angst/Fluff/Different AU's)

Chapter 6: The Reason for the Ring (Part 1)

Author's Note: In this AU, Oboro didn't die. But when the rooftop squad was 25 years old, Aizawa got married to Hizashi Yamada. Then, 3 months later, Hizashi was killed in a hero accident. This story is about how Aizawa is coping after 5 years.

Aizawa fiddled with the gold ring on his finger. He had a matching one, but this one wasn't his. He let it slide onto his thumb and then pulled it off. The cool metal was slightly cold to touch. Aizawa continued to play with it because he was attached to the thing. He was about to take a nap when he heard the sounds of children approaching the door. He quickly shoved the ring into his pocket and greeted them miserably. To Class 1A, he was always a grumpy and short-tempered person. He was always moody and tired. But to most of the others at U.A. Like the 3rd years, and the staff, they knew he wasn't always like that. He was generally a strict teacher, but he wasn't as bad as he is now. Something had affected him... It had changed him 5 years ago.
The only reason the 3rd years knew was because one of them had previously heard about what had happened from before entering U.A, Mirio. He had learnt about an incident with a hero and then learnt that that hero had been a teacher at U.A. This teacher was very close to Aizawa... So of course, he had told everyone in his class. So now they bore the secret to Aizawa's grieving.
After class, Aizawa had a break, so he had curled up on a couch in the staff lounge with a cup of coffee, and again, he was mesmerised by this ring. To everyone else, it might be a form of thinking, but to those who knew him... Twiddling that ring was like an escape for Aizawa. He would get lost in another world... a better world... Then, as Aizawa seemed to lose himself in thought, someone tapped him on the shoulder, waking him up.
Nemuri Kayama stood over him, looking worried.
"What do you want?" Aizawa said gruffly.
"Aizawa, you have to let go... it's been 5 years..." She murmured.
Aizawa stood up. He didn't want to have this conversation again; it wouldn't do anything. Then, as he turned, he was facing all of the U.A staff in one room.
"What on earth?" He frowned.
Oboro stepped forward, and Aizawa hesitated. He wanted to step back but didn't.
"We have all seen you and how you changed... Yes, it's sad, but you need to think for a minute -" That was all Oboro managed before Aizawa stopped him.
"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know how it feels. That's why I am the only one who's "sad." He spat with a look of disgust.
"I know how it feels Shota... he was my friend too..." Oboro replied, slightly hurt.
"NO. No, you don't. You are engaged to Nemuri, and you're telling me you understand! You haven't lost the one person in your life who mattered more than anyone!" Aizawa's voice rose dangerously.
Oboro tried to gently put his hand on Aizawa's shoulder, but he got shrugged off. Aizawa swiftly moved to the door, and as he pulled the handle forward, he turned to the group of adults.
"You know. I thought of all the people you would have understood, Shirakumo." He snapped, slamming the door loudly behind him. The teachers looked towards Oboro. Who stood there, ashamed of himself. He should have been more thoughtful about this. As Aizawa left in a blur of anger, he didn't notice the small green haired and freckled boy trembling outside the door. He had heard the whole conversation. Izuku stared at the door. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he just didn't know how to time walking in on his teachers. So he waited, and finally now he walked through the door.

Aizawa found himself sitting under a tree outside U.A. After all, it was his favourite tree... Aizawa had pulled out the ring again and held it up to his face. He smiled sadly and tears stung his eyes. He quickly wiped them away. He shut his eyes and sighed. He still remembered his golden yellow hair and those shining green eyes that always had a spark in them that made him always look energetic. His stupid mustache... but his smile was best of all. It was a glorious excited smile that would constantly change but you could always somehow tell when he was really smiling... There was something about how his face lit up. He could even hear him laughing. Then when he opened his eyes Aizawa remembered that he was dead.

Izuku stumbled into the staff lounge and everyone stopped and turned to him.
"I...I.. I wanted to ask why Mr. Ectoplasm wasn't in class..." He stammered under the watchful eyes of around 15 Pro Heroes. Each looking menacing in their own way.
"You didn't happen to hear what we were talking about did you?" Oboro said as cheerfully as he could.
Deku looked at the ground, it was wrong and he hadn't meant it... or had he?
"Ah... well... look, don't go running around telling anyone because you don't know the whole story... and personally it's not my story to tell you..." Oboro said, kneeling before Izuku.
"Y..yes.. of course sir! Sorry for eavesdropping sir!" The green haired boy clapped his hands together and bowed towards Oboro.
"It's okay... just don't do it again..." Oboro said grimly.
With that Izuku sped out of the room. As he jogged back to his classroom he looked out a window he saw a reflected glint. When he peered closed he saw his teacher sitting under a tree holding something small and shiny.

Aizawa wrapped his hand around the string that had the ring attached to it. He was about to drift off into sleep when he heard the pattering of rushed footsteps. He glanced up to find Izuku Midoriya taking deep breaths.
"Mr... A...Aizawa..." He gasped. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry on behalf of Class 1A. We have been making your life more difficult than it must be already! I sincerely apologize sensei!" He said
Aizawa raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what he meant. Suddenly he stood up.
"What did they tell you? What did you hear?" He grabbed Izuku.
"N-Nothing Sir! I swear!" The green boy squeaked.
"I just accidentally overheard your conversation! I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" He said.
Aizawa held his tongue. He shouldn't shout at the kid... He probably didn't know much anyways...
"I- I just want to say something... I'm sorry you lost someone... I.. can't relate to it too much but... I heard it's been 5 years since they died... Isn't that stretching it sensei?" Izuku murmured, playing with his fingers and shuffling his feet. A shadow crossed Aizawa's face.
"What do you mean?" Aizawa said darkly.
"Well... I guess I'm saying... would they have really wanted you to end up like this?" Izuku squirmed.
Aizawa huffed and said nothing.
"I should go.." Izuku noticed that Aizawa didn't want to talk about this anymore. So he walked off.
Aizawa felt slightly ashamed... he would never have wanted this... but then again... What if Aizawa had died? He would be in the exact same state... Solemnly Aizawa continued to think of different realities with different endings and still no matter what he tried to think or tell himself. He still felt empty and guilty after what Midoriya had said...
About three days later Midnight was wandering about searching for Oboro when she came upon both her close friends.
"Let me go, Shirakumo." Aizawa had snarled.
Shirakumo was gripping Aizawa's wrist tightly.
"Shota please!" He begged as Aizawa pulled himself out of Oboro's grip. He was walking straight out of there and not turning back.
"I'M SORRY" Oboro suddenly blurted. Aizawa stopped and sneered at Oboro.
"I... I'm sorry about Hizashi." Aizawa froze. It had been years since he had heard his name. The word echoed in Aizawas ears.
"Hizashi..." Aizawa whispered.
Oboro put his hand on Aizawas shoulder as to comfort him put instead Aizawa turned and buried his face into Oboro's shoulder. Oboro hugged him letting Aizawa hide the tears that were streaming down his face and onto Oboro's fluffy fur and leather coat. Aizawa was shaking slightly at the rememberance of his loved ones obsession with leather.
"He would never have wanted this." Aizawa sobbed. "He would never have wanted me like this... cruel and unkind. And depressed." Aizawa laughed slightly at the last point. Oboro didn't mind comforting him,
"Aizawa, if he or anyone else was in your position they'd have done the same. And it's alright to be upset, I shouldn't have tried pushing you like I did." Aizawa stood up more and Oboro let Aizawa go. Aizawa rubbed his eyes dry, turning back into the grouchy scary man everyone knew him as.
"It's okay... I just miss him so much..." Aizawa started walking out the doors of the staff lounge with Oboro.
"I miss him too..." Oboro grinned and Mindight smiled as she watched the two chat a bit, still apologising to one another. Then she got a notification in her phone. She turned her attention to the sleek device and quickly scanned the message from her boss, Principal Nezu. Then she looked up shocked, staring at Oboro and Aizawa. This wasn't going to be good.

To be continued...