Maybe We'll fix Each Other

Chapter 46

"Do you think we'll get any more useful evidence with this?" Aizawa asked, eyes skimming over the photocopy in his hand.

Nighteye gave a noncommittal hum before leaning back in his chair.

"No," he replied simply. He reached a hand out to tap on the corner of the sheet with a single finger. "But it's more the gesture than the result that I care about."

Aizawa finished his cursory overview before putting the paper down.

"So then what are you hoping to achieve with this subpoena of the Commission's records? If you don't think they'll produce anything, then what's the goal here?" Aizawa prompted further. While Nighteye gave the air of someone who would do something for procedure's sake, he almost always had deeper motives.

"I'm planning on two things happening with the subpoena," Nighteye explained. "One: we establish to the courts that we are approaching this case appropriately and by the books. And two: the Commission will be forced to cooperate. And while I don't believe for a moment that they will truthfully produce all the information that has been requested, I do know that they'll be under much deeper scrutiny if we get various court officials involved with the handling of their documentation. The more eyes on them, the better."

Aizawa nodded before dragging his hands down his face in exhaustion.

Ever since the hearing it had been constant meetings and press conferences. Luckily he'd been able to convince everyone to leave Dabi and Keigo out of them, but that only meant he was the one doing all the talking.

God, he hated attention on him. It was half the reason he was an underground hero.

And now the official court trial was creeping up on them and they were working on the final arrangements for everything. Nighteye, as always, seemed three steps ahead of the planning.

He had been more than helpful during Aizawa's preparations and presentations to the status committee, who were in charge of designating the differentiation between villain, criminal, and vigilante.

Aizawa and Nighteye were hoping that if they could slide in a status review for Dabi prior to the case, then maybe Dabi could have his record updated from criminal to vigilante. Because while vigilantes were still operating illegally, they were seen in much better light in the court of law.

Currently the status review was...rough. But they'd at least agreed to hear them out, which was more than he had been hoping for, frankly.

Aizawa let out a sigh and made himself sit up straight again to refocus.

"I take it the status committee meeting you went to just before this was draining?" Nighteye asked, seeming to once again know exactly what he had been thinking. Aizawa briefly wondered if there was something in his posture that gave it away. Then again, it would be a logical conclusion that Nighteye knew his meeting schedule and had deduced it from there.

Aizawa let out an annoyed grunt.

"I always forget how much some people like to hear themself talk," he complained. "I think we're making progress, it's just slower than it ought to be."

Nighteye frowned. "I thought Nedzu told me that the official decision on his status would be determined within the week," he stated.

"It will be," Aizawa replied. "I just wish things would move faster. And the representative from the courtroom helping organize the official Endeavor-Commission case told me to expect a date for the trial later today."

His eyes flicked to his phone on the tabletop, waiting for it to ring at any moment.

Nighteye gave a fond shake of his head. "If you put everything in perspective, Aizawa, things are moving at a lightning pace. We've already had a full preliminary hearing, you're in final discussions about a status change, and the official trial is due to start within the next week or two. Not to mention your plan with Tsukauchi seems to be taking root based on his last update. I promise you, you're not failing those two. You're making things happen."