The Emerald Prince

Chapter 6: Bitter revelations

The examination had been very informative.

Bakugou was going to be in his class. He shoved that thought away.

Endeavour's son wasn't there, so presumably he had a recommendation too.

The principal was an interesting character but to be avoided where possible, if he wanted to escape too much suspicion.

All Might was...draining.
He had too much energy and though it was a little funny, Izuku now understood the rules about never meeting your heroes. It wasn't that All Might wasn't like he'd expected...but that since he'd idolised him, Izuku had changed a great deal. He also displayed a few quirk based prejudices that painted the man in a very poor light as far as Izuku was concerned.

Regardless, he supposed when you sell your body to heroes, villains and citizens alike for money, get abandoned by friends and parents alike for lacking a quirk... such an honest and naive symbol of peace loses it's charm and seems shallow somehow.

Aizawa recognised Izuku's expression, and had mixed feelings.
He had become disapproving of All Might due to his own values regarding the media and hero work... and simply that their personalities may as well be night and day.

He liked that Izuku saw the shallowness too. But Izuku's expression was different when he turned away from All Might's beaming smile, it paralleled those not of villains exactly...but certainly not of a boy who'd lived a happy safe life, 'all thanks to the symbol of peace'.

"Not what you thought he'd be like?" He probed cautiously as they headed back toward their coffee place to reenergise before parting ways.

Izuku seemed to have been deep in thought as he jumped a little in surprise.
"No...he is. Sorry, I guess I'm realising how much I've changed, or grown I suppose. You know, there was a time when my bedroom walls couldn't be seen for All Might posters."
Izuku's expression was faintly wistful.

"And now?" Asked the hero, scanning the teen's features closely for the emotions the kid wouldn't acknowledge aloud.
Izuku improvised, couldn't very well say his mother had set them on fire and laughed as he burned his hands trying to save them.
"They are painted white because it's cheapest and poster free so the paint doesn't get damaged."
Aizawa sighed, "Yeah, you grew up."
"Mm."

They walked in silence toward their destination for a little but eventually, Aizawa ran a hand through his hair and turned to the greenette.
"Izuku, I've asked as few questions as I can. But please, can't you trust me a little? Explain why you've grown up so fast?"
Izuku also stopped walking, and spoke nervously. He'd known this would happen but the number of negative outcomes terrified him.
"Perhaps I should. Will you keep it to yourself?"
Aizawa schooled his expression as best as he could. "As long as there are no people endangered because of anything you tell me, then yes."

"Alright," Izuku swallowed, trying to thing through how he was going to do this. "Come to my house. When are you on duty?"
"It's my night off today, take as long as you need." Replied Aizawa, something in his gut told him this was far more important than the two or so muggers he might catch tonight.

Izuku nodded cautiously then led the way, wondering just how far he'd take this.

———

The neighbourhood he was led to was perhaps nicer than Aizawa had expected considering the greenette's reluctance to take him there. But at the door, what hope that brought evaporated.

Aizawa stared at the shell of a house Izuku had led him into.
"Izuku, what happened to this house, there aren't even any photographs...it's practically empty."