Serendipity

unburied

He wonders how many lives Endeavor has taken.

He wonders if there's a list out there. If there is, it's probably made by some anti-hero supporter that gives the facts. Aizawa can't agree with the movement, but if a list like that exists, he'd like to have it.

A list of all the murders Enji Todoroki has committed, so that he can really humiliate the man in a courtroom.

"They're justified," someone would say, someone blinded by Endeavor's heroic disguise for crime. "He saves more people than he kills."

If you seek someone out with malicious intent, you cannot justify their murder.

And Endeavor loves a good fight.

Aizawa sighs. He's just getting worked up. They've got about five minutes until they can go into the office to sign papers, but they can't go in until then. Both parties arrived early, parked next to each other. Endeavor has been eying the two of them like a predator, his signature scowl looking a little meaner, a bit more villainous.

Aizawa presses the button to lock the doors one more time, just to make sure. He knows it won't do much, if Endeavor really does try to attack, but it gives a sense of safety, however false it may be.

Shouto hasn't looked up the entire time. He thinks he saw Endeavor, pulling in, and couldn't handle staring back.

He shouldn't even be here.

Shouto doesn't deserve to have to face his abuser, not like this. Not on Endeavor's terms, and when he's still vulnerable, and young, and it's only been less than three months since the last time they were together.

Aizawa can only find solace in the fact that this will be the last time. After today, if Shouto ever wants to see him again, it will be his choice. Not some requirement for freedom.

His eyes rake over Shouto. The other is silent, a little too far gone for Aizawa's liking. He looks a lot more his age, with his hair cut. It ends just under his ears, his bangs have been touched up, almost with expert precision. It's no wonder none of his class has asked to go to a barber's, when they have Ashido living with them.

His scar is a touch more visible, he's noticed mostly because Shouto keeps trying to turn his head away, to not let Aizawa see it. He wishes there was some way to convince Shouto that he doesn't mind it. He doesn't find it ugly, doesn't want to ignore that part of him, either. It's there, that's that. There's a story behind it, a horrifying story of a mother and the son she tried to love. But the scar is not the story. The scar is whatever Shouto wants it to be.

Aizawa takes a deep breath, studying Endeavor from across the parking lot. The man is still staring, blue eyes intense. But he doesn't look like he'll do anything worth worrying about, not right now, at least. Aizawa unlocks the door, zipping his parka up and sighing. "You ready, Shouto?"

Shouto buttons the little flap over his zipper and nods, leaving the hood down. It's snowing out, Aizawa usually minds it, but he knows that the snow makes Shouto happy.

He hopes Endeavor doesn't ruin that, too.

They both exit the car at the same time, closing their doors and stepping onto the curb. Endeavor exits at the same time, wearing a measly sports sweatshirt and jeans. He looks like how dads should, how he should've been for all four of his children. Like Shouto's going to play at a baseball game and Endeavor is going to watch and support. Take him out to dinner, after.

Not lock him in a room for days at a time and neglect the rest of his family.

Shouto pauses when Endeavor steps up onto the curb, breath hitching. Aizawa grabs the back of his parka, not touching Shouto but still being able to pull him back behind him.