Overpowering Encounters

Let's Meet Up

"Eraser, wait up!"

Aizawa paused to consider whether or not to stop for Emi, but decided against it. Continuing to walk, he felt someone grasp for his arm.

"Eraser, I need to ask you something. Could you take one moment to stop and listen to me."

Turning his head around to look at Emi, he replied, "Fine."

"Eraser, I wanted to thank you for the opportunity for letting Ketsubutsu Academy come and join your class for a joint practice." Giving a huge grin to show her gratitude to Aizawa, she continued, "It was a great opportunity for students to work together."

Emi then walked away since she thought Aizawa didn't want to deal with her presence than he needed to. Leaving Aizawa alone, she decided to find her class making sure they got back safely.

"Joke, wait." Dumbfounded, Emi turned to face Aizawa. 'What did he want or have to say possibly to stay?'

Brushing his hair out of his face somewhat, Aizawa requested,"We should do this another time."

Confused, Emi could only form the words, "What?"

"I said we should meet up another time." Aizawa blankly stated.

"With the students?"

"Yeah, or you and I could meet up."

Floored, she couldn't believe that Aizawa would even suggest that the two of them would meet up other than for working together. "Eraser, are you asking me on a date?"

"No, I'm just suggesting that the two of us would spend some time outside of work together."

"That sounds like a date to me, Eraser." Emi was sure that Aizawa knew that she wasn't expecting him to offer to hang out with her more privately than they have ever done in the past.

"Emi, will you stop joking around and just say whether or not you'd be up for this."

Emi could see that Eraser was getting irritated especially since he used her first name. "Yeah, I'd be down for that. When were you thinking?"

Becoming more relaxed from Emi finally taking him seriously, Aizawa took a deep breath and began to think. "Well, I would like to meet someone soon, but you would probably have to come to Yuuei. Would this coming weekend work for you?"

"Can I get back to you about that? I don't have my calendar on me at this moment."

"Fine, but I'll give you until tonight to get back to me."

Satisfied with having until tonight to get back to Aizawa, she gave him a short hand wave and left. Looking back with turning her head only a little to the side, she looked to see if Aizawa was still there. 'It looks like he left.'

"Joke, you've gotten worse at perceiving your surroundings."

Startled, Emi activated her quirk to defend herself for the time being, but was stopped as soon as she was who it was.

With his quirk activated to stop Emi, Aizawa grabbed her wrist and looked her in the eyes. "Emi, what's wrong? It's not normal for you to be this tense. Heck, your reaction was very delayed. That's quite unlike you."

Unable to process what had just happened, Emi frozed and couldn't form any words to come out.

"Something isn't right about this Emi...what's up? You can talk to me about this, we've known each other for about ten years now."

"It's nothing."

"Emi, stop acting like it is nothing. I need you to look at me and tell me that to my face."

Gradually Emi raised her face to make eye contact with Aizawa and without any emotion stating, "Shota, it's nothing for you to worry about. I'll be fine." She tried to fake a smile on her face.

"That's it. If you won't talk to me here, what if we meet somewhere private. Would you be able to stay here at Yuuei for a few hours while I contact the other teachers at Ketsubutsu that you'll be staying here for a while longer."

"Shota, I should really be leaving with my students now." Trying to walk away, Shota pulled her towards him again.

"Emi, you can't bury your emotions continually. I know that you want to be the bubbly, enthusiastic hero that everyone sees you as, but it is okay to let those emotions out once in awhile. Do you have anyone at all that you talk to?"

Tears started to form in Emi's eyes. Instead of looking at Aizawa for comfort, she continued staring at the ground.

Seeing that Emi was crying, Aizawa brought her into a hug which brought her to sob into his uniform. "Emi, I'm sorry that you don't feel comfortable enough to talk to me about whatever is on your mind, but I can't let you go home like this. I'll call someone at Yuuei to let the staff at Ketsubutsu to not to worry about you since you'll be here."

Unable to stop the tears, Emi struggled to get loose from Aizawa's grasp.

"Emi, I cannot let you go when something is bothering you that deeply. I would at least like to know if there is anyone at all for you to talk to."

"I do...I've been distant lately though."

"How come?"

"If I tell you, you'll think of my differently."

"Why would I think that? Everyone has their issues."

"It's not me, Shota. It's not something that anyone would believe."

"Come on, let's talk about this back at my place."

Not caring if anyone saw anything, Aizawa continued to comfort Emi by putting his arm around her shoulder for support walking back to the 1-A apartments.