Freeze Frame

Chapter 117

Third person pov

This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't be. Things had been going surprisingly well despite all that had happened. The media had calmed down somewhat. Not by much, but enough. The kids were laughing and talking while they set up their dorms, and Bakugo was even able to separate from Lillian for more than two seconds to go grab something out of the other room. Progress wasn't always linear, Aizawa had come to learn. But progress was progress nonetheless. Things had been decent, which was of course why something had to come along and fuck it all up. 

"Dad?" Lillian fidgeted, looking up at him with wide eyes. Bakugo was behind her, his brows drawn together as he scrolled through his phone in search of some sign this was a lie. Aizawa knew the feeling. He'd been searching for some way to undo this all. A number he could contact and a website he could go to. Neito had unhelpfully suggested he contact a lawyer, which had seemed dumb at first, but Aizawa was beginning to genuinely consider it a valid option. 

"Turn on the news." Aizawa breathed out, eyes flickering to his daughter's. She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded, turning to Shoto. The teen got the message even though he was busy playing Temple run. He grabbed the remote without looking up, pointing it haphazardly at the TV and jamming the on button a few times until the screen flickered to life. Hitoshi snorted, shoveling some popcorn in his mouth. Now, this... this was the entertainment he signed up for. One day in the dorms and things were already going to shit. Could he ask for anything more?

"-shocking, I know! I didn't see it coming either." The reporters laughed with one another. Displayed behind them was a chart. The top ten hero rankings chart. "We all thought Hawks would be forced into the position of Number One when All Might fell. Endeavor, fortunately, isn't with us anymore-- but to think, Eraserhead jumped the rankings overnight! I guess Kamino really sold it for people."

Aizawa's lips parted in wordless surprise. This was real. This was actually happening to him right now. Somehow, his little debut on TV saving his daughter and taking down All For One had... boosted him. He hadn't even been aware he had a ranking. If he did, it was so low that even he didn't know what the number was. But then he'd gotten all that publicity. So rather than Hawks taking up the mantle of Number One, now Shota found himself sitting atop a pedestal he never wanted to be on. He'd amassed a fanbase the size of an army just overnight. He didn't know what to think about that, or how to feel.

Lillian stared. The screen beamed back. There was a sinking feeling that formed in her gut. Pride mingled with dread in the very pits of her stomach, and she didn't know how to feel. There were a thousand things she could do and say. A part of her, for some reason, thought crying was the best option. Maybe hugging her dad and apologizing since this was partially her fault. She hadn't asked to get kidnapped or anything, but he wouldn't have been there if not for her. 

"Holy shit." Lillian blurted out instead of doing or saying any of the things her mind was screaming at her to. Shota didn't even have it in him to scold her. 

"You're shitting me!" Bakugo barked out, a familiar grin forming on his face. Hitoshi was looking off to the side and trying his damndest not to laugh. It was still pretty obvious he was, but at least he was making an attempt. Unlike Neito, who was openly wheezing at the television. Why were these brats in his living room, anyway? Aizawa sure hadn't invited them. But Lillian looked so content with them here... whatever; that was the least of his worries now. He'd gone from being an underground hero-- unseen, unheard, and unknown-- to being Number One. In practically a day. This was bad. 

"You're the number one hero!" Neito wheezed out. Aizawa narrowed his eyes. He was getting a bit too comfortable there. But he also wasn't Shota's student, so he couldn't be given detention. The undead blonde needed to count his blessings. "I can't believe it. Lillian, your dad made himself Number One when he saved you."